A North Korean official expressed hope for South Korea’s victory in its first Brazil World Cup match against Russia.
 
North Korea's deputy ambassador to the UN, Ri Dong-il, gave his well wishes to a reporter from Seoul-based Yonhap News at the UN headquarters on Tuesday. 
 
Ri first initiated talking about the World Cup with the reporter. After the reporter expressed concern over the Russian team, the deputy ambassador said it is only a true victory when the game is won against a strong team.
 
When the reporter noted that Russia sides with North Korea often at the UN Security Council, Ri smiled and reaffirmed his support for the South Korean team. 
 
The South Korea-Russia match ended in a 1-1 draw early Wednesday morning.