North Korea is open to broadcasting EPL with restrictions. Image: Pyongyang Today shared via X.
(The Post News)– North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has authorized the broadcast of Premier League matches inside the isolated state. Broadcasts will be under a sweeping set of conditions that will significantly reshape how the English Premiership League (EPL) appears.
The North Korean move is part of a broader strategy to introduce filtered international entertainment while maintaining strict ideological boundaries. But the guidelines imposed on the broadcasts suggest that fans in North Korea will see an altered version of EPL. This version is adapted for political comfort rather than for sporting authenticity.
Central to the agreement is an absolute ban on live broadcasting. All matches must first undergo a North Korean state-run internal review. The editors will cut, mute, or overlay any content considered unacceptable.
This process is expected to delay broadcasts by several days, with entire sequences potentially being restructured. Analysts suggest Pyongyang is concerned about unpredictable elements in live football. These include fan protests, political banners, and unexpected drama that could slip past censors.
EPL to be Shortened to 60 Minutes in North Korea
North Korea will shorten Premier League games from the regulation 90 minutes to a strict 60-minute package. Officials reportedly insist this is to streamline the viewing experience. Nevertheless, people see it as a convenient way to remove content wholesale without having to justify specific cuts.
The shortened format means North Korean fans will miss key build-ups. Tactical shifts or even goals will not align with the editorial narrative the state wishes to show. Another dramatic modification involves the digital erasure of all English text visible in stadiums. This includes advertising boards, club slogans, sponsor names, and even stadium signage.
Editors will overlay these elements with North Korean graphics, creating a surreal visual blend. Premier League football is played in iconic English venues but branded with unfamiliar state-approved imagery. The censorship extends to players themselves. Any South Korean footballer appearing in the Premier League will be completely removed from broadcasts.
This includes Brentford defender Kim Ji-soo, Wolves attacker Hwang Hee-chan, and any others who feature during the season. Goals, tackles, celebrations, or moments involving South Korean players will be erased as though they never took place.
Experts say this decision reflects the regime’s long-standing stance of eliminating South Korean representation in all domestic media.
Additional Restrictions for Viewers
North Korea will also remove all rainbow imagery and Pride-related displays. LGBTQ+ inclusivity symbols will be eliminated. This applies whether they are on captain’s armbands, fan banners, advertising boards, or pitch-side graphics.
This condition aligns with broader global patterns of censorship observed in countries with rigid cultural policies. The decision signals a rare openness to foreign entertainment. The strict conditions show North Korea’s determination to keep total narrative control.
North Korean fans will watch something that resembles the EPL. It will have the same colors, pitches, players, and drama. But not in meaning; instead, it will be a curated, sanitized, and reshaped version of global football. It will be tailored to fit the boundaries of one of the world’s most controlled media environments.
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