North Korea - List of Champions

See the file on the All Joseon Football Championship for data prior to World War II.

Note: apparently there are two separate championships, the Technical Innovation Contest from February to June, and reportedly held since 1960, and the Republic Championship, held in October since 1972 and contested between the top (6) teams of the Technical Innovation Contest.

Technical Innovation Contest

1960-84   unknown
1985    April 25 (Pyongyang)
1986    April 25 (Pyongyang)
1987    April 25 (Pyongyang)
1988    April 25 (Pyongyang)
1989    Chandongcha (Chöngjin)
1990    April 25 (Pyongyang)
1991    Pyongyang Club
1992    April 25 (Pyongyang)
1993    April 25 (Pyongyang)
1994    April 25 (Pyongyang)
1995    April 25 (Pyongyang)
1996    Kigwancha (Sinuiju)
1997    Kigwancha (Sinuiju)
1998    Kigwancha (Sinuiju)
1999    Kigwancha (Sinuiju)
2000    Kigwancha (Sinuiju)
2001    Amnokgang Sports Group
2002    April 25 (Pyongyang)
2003    April 25 (Pyongyang)
2004    Pyongyang City Sports Group
2005    Pyongyang City Sports Group
2006    Amnokgang Sports Group
2007    Pyongyang City Sports Group
2008    Amnokgang Sports Group
2009    Pyongyang City Sports Group
Premier Soccer League
Year    Champions                       Runners-Up                      Third
2010    April 25 (Pyongyang)            Sobaeksu                        Amnokgang
2011    April 25 (Pyongyang)            Sobaeksu                        Amnokgang
2012    April 25 (Pyongyang)            Sonbong                         Rimyongsu
2013    April 25 (Pyongyang)
2014    Hwaebul
2015    April 25 (Pyongyang)            Hwaebul
2016    Kigwancha                       April 25                        Amnokgang
DPRK Premier League
2017/18 April 25 (Pyongyang)
2018/19 April 25 (Pyongyang)
2019/20   apparently abandoned

Number of Titles (34)

18 April 25 (Pyongyang)

 6 Kigwancha (Sinuiju)

 5 Pyongyang City Sports Group [includes Pyongyang Club]

 3 Amnokgang Sports Group

 1 Chandongcha (Chöngjin)
   Hwaebul

NB: Amnokgang apparently won various championships in the 1960s;
    Kigwancha aka Locomotive

Republic Championship

NB: also considered domestic cup tournament

1972-00 unknown
2001 April 25 (Pyongyang)
2002-03 unknown
2004 Pyongyang City Sports Group     [*1] 
2005    unknown
2006 April 25 (Pyongyang)
2007 Amnokgang Sports Group
2008 Amnokgang Sports Group
2009 Ministry of Light Industry      [*2] 
2010    not played
2011 April 25 (Pyongyang)

[*1] other sources: Rimyongsu Sports Group
[*2] Ministry of Light Industry aka Kyonggongop Sports Group


Hwaebul Cup

2013    April 25                    awd Sonbong                     [*]
2014    April 25                    2-0 Hwaebul
2015    April 25                    5-1 Kigwancha
2016    April 25                    3-2 Hwaebul                     [aet]
2017    Sobaeksu                    2-1 Ryomyong                    [aet]   

[*] the match finished 2-2 aet, Sonbong winning 8-7 on penalties, but they
    had fielded an ineligible player

About this document

With thanks to Hans Schöggl, Erlan Manaschev (emanaschev@yandex.ru), wikipedia and wapedia

Prepared and maintained by Jiri Tomes for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

Author: Jiri Tomes (jiri.tomes@usa.net)
Last updated: 23 Feb 2022