Following a 2-1 defeat by Japan in the Asian Games quarter-finals, a confrontation erupted between some North Korean players and the referee, Rustam Lutfullin.
A video captured the moment when the referee was surrounded by officials trying to contain the heated situation.
Reports indicate that the North Korean players became agitated when Lutfullin awarded a penalty to Japan.
As the confrontation escalated, assistant referees and security staff were drawn into the scene. North Korean coach Sin Yong Nam also rushed to his players to attempt to defuse the situation.
Despite the chaos, Sin Yong Nam defended his team’s behavior, stating that it had been “acceptable.”
