The team, belonging to Group G, will compete with its Philippine, Cambodian and Thai rivals this month.

Its chief coach is Ra Pong Gi, who played a key role in making the DPRK win in the Shanghai 4-Nation Soccer Tournament and the Thai "King Cup" International Soccer Tournament in 2001 and 2002 and the 2012 AFC Challenger Cup Tournament.

The DPRK team comprises mainly the experienced players who took part in the AFC U-19 and U-16 Championships and the 17th Asian Games.

The AFC U-23 Championship is to take place in Qatar next January, with participation of 15 teams who will prove successful in the preliminaries.

And the top three teams at the championship will attend the 31st Olympic Games on behalf of Asia.