Biography
Jong was born in Nagoya, Japan to Korean parents residing in Japan. Although some reports indicate that Jong's parents and Jong himself have South Korean citizenship, Jong has said that he is not South Korean, but North Korean as his family identify themselves as North Koreans. His mother sent him to attend a private school in Japan run by Chongryon, a group closely tied to the North Korean government – where he started football at its elementary school club. He later attended Korea University, a private university in Tokyo also funded by Chongryon.
Chongryon, North Korea's de facto embassy in Japan, issued a North Korean passport to him. This made him eligible, per FIFA rules, to play for North Korea.
Jong is fluent in Korean and Japanese. He also knows how to speak Portuguese which he learned from his Brazilian teammates at Japan's Kawasaki Frontale. He also speaks German from playing in Germany. He speaks cursory English, due to his trial in Blackburn.
Jong publicly emphasized of the separation between sportsmanship and politics after the disputes before and during the match between North Korea and Japan on 15 November 2011.
Read more about this topic: Jong Tae-Se
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