North Korea

North Korea is a country in East Asia. Pyongyang is the capital and largest city.

History of hockey in North Korea
Ice hockey in North Korea first became popular during the 1950's when Soviet and Chinese workers taught the game and its rules in the capital city of Pyongyang. The Ice Hockey Federation of the DPR Korea was founded in 1955, and the country joined the IIHF on August 8, 1963.

The North Korean Championship was first contested in 1956. Teams from Pyongyang have dominated the championship.

The men's national team made its international debut at in 1974 at the World Championship Pool C, in which they finished in last place. They lost their first game to Italy 11-2, but managed to defeat China 3-2 for their first international win. Their best finish was fifth in Pool C in 1990.

The women's national team participated in the 1999 and 2000 Women's World Championship Pool B Qualification tournaments. They first participated in the Women's World Championships in 2001, finishing fourth in Division I, still their best finish to date. They have participated in the Asian Winter Games in 2003, 2007, and 2011, finishing in fourth place in all three of their appearances. They participated in the IIHF Women's Challenge Cup of Asia in 2010, finishing third.

The junior national team first participated in the World Junior Championships in 1988, finishing seventh in Pool C. Their best finish was eighth in Pool B in 1992. The U18 national team regularly participated in the IIHF Asian Oceanic U18 Championships, which existed from 1984-2002. They won gold in Division I in 1987 and 2000, and in Division II in 1999.