North Korea striker to play for South Korean club

Jong Tae Se was born and raised in Japan, but holds a North Korean passport.

Kin Cheung/AP

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- A South Korean club says it has signed North Korea striker Jong Tae Se from Cologne.

The Suwon Samsung Bluewings say they have agreed to pay the German club $394,000 for Jong, but declined to say how much they will pay the 27-year-old forward who played for North Korea at the 2010 World Cup.

Bluewings official Lee Ho-seung says Jong had sought the transfer and the negotiations lasted several months.

Jong was born and raised in Japan, but holds a North Korean passport. Jong will become the fourth such player to join South Korea's K-League, according to league officials.

He began his professional career with Japanese club Kawasaki Frontale in 2006 before signing with German second-division club VfL Bochum in 2010 and joining Cologne last year.

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