North Korean players prepare for their women’s soccer match against South Korea at the Asian Games on September 21, 2026
| Photo Credit: AP
Two members of North Korea’s delegation to the Asian Games in Japan are looking to seek asylum, South Korea’s Monthly Chosun magazine reported on Tuesday (September 22, 2026).
Citing a source it identified as an official from Japan’s Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office, the magazine said the two were among a 180-member North Korean delegation attending the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, which opened on Saturday (September 19).
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The two North Koreans expressed a preference to seek asylum in Japan rather than South Korea and have communicated their intention not to return home, the report said.
Their identities and positions within the delegation were not disclosed, and it remained unclear whether their reported outreach would ultimately lead to a defection, according to Monthly Chosun.
The magazine said the information was obtained through a source connected to Japan’s intelligence apparatus and linked to the pro-Pyongyang General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, known as Chongryon.
North Korea sent about 180 athletes and officials to the Games, including Sports Minister Kim Il-guk, according to media reports.
Reuters could not immediately reach the Japanese government for comment on a national holiday in Japan.
Published – September 22, 2026 03:41 pm IST
