CNN —After more than three years of going missing from world soccer, North Korean striker Han Kwang Song has reappeared, playing for his country in two recent World Cup qualifiers and scoring in the 6-1 win over Myanmar on Tuesday.
Attempting to qualify for the World Cup for a third time, North Korea lost 1-0.
The North Korea football federation, the Asian Football Confederation and world soccer governing body FIFA didn’t respond to CNN’s request for comment on Han’s return to international football.
The return of the North Korean wunderkind has surprised soccer pundits and fans, who worried about his safety and promising career being cut short.
The Covid-19 pandemic led to North Korea fully sealing its borders, making it impossible for Han and fellow repatriated North Korean nationals to return home.
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