ABSTRACT
This chapter is concerned with the paradoxical relation between socialist feminism and female sport in North Korea. To do so, this article investigates the media representation of female footballers in communist Korea. Communists proclaim the liberation of women as one of their major political aims, and the North Korean regime encourages women to participate in sport as part of a women’s empowerment policy. Particularly, the communist governments strategically promote female football. The North Korean media coverage of its national football team includes no marginalised or sexualised representation of female football. However, a deeper analysis reveals that the media in this communist state ideologically underline a broader political structure based on state patriarchy. Moreover, the political use of female football is evident. In this regard, the priority seems to be given to nationalism over feminism. With respect to this, this chapter contends that while the North Korean media representation of female sport highlights active and skilful female athletes, such a portrayal must be seen within the limit of broader patriarchal politics.
