North Korea disrupts World Cup preparation
German basketball players startled by Kim’s rocket
08/24/2023 09:41 am
Shortly after a three-way summit between South Korea, Japan and the USA, North Korea launches a spy satellite into space. Pyongyang admits the launch failed. The attempt also has an impact on the German basketball players who are preparing for the World Cup in Okinawa.
The German basketball players were woken up by a rocket alarm before the start of the World Cup on the Japanese island of Okinawa. “At first I thought that the doorbell rang. I was a little surprised,” said national coach Gordon Herbert: “The message was in Japanese, so I didn’t know what was there. But I immediately read the message and found out what it was about.”
Shortly before 4 a.m. local time, the people of Okinawa received a warning message on their cell phones that North Korea had launched a missile and should seek shelter. The all-clear came shortly afterwards. Several media outlets later reported that North Korea had failed in an attempt to send a spy satellite into space. “Japan is a very safe country. I’m not worried,” Herbert continued.
National player Andreas Obst also received before the World Cup opener against hosts Japan on Friday (2:10 p.m./Magenta Sports) the alarm: “I noticed it so easily, but didn’t take it so seriously. I was glad that I slept the night before. And then the alarm comes on. I look at my cell phone, there was an emergency message. I thought it was a storm or something because I couldn’t read it.”
NBA professional Moritz Wagner, on the other hand, received the warning with a delay. “For years I’ve had the habit of putting my phone on airplane mode at night. But of course it’s kind of weird when you read that in the morning. But as long as nobody around me gets nervous, I don’t get nervous either,” said the 26th -year-olds.
In the tough World Cup Group E on Okinawa, Germany is still playing against co-favorite Australia and insider tip Finland. There will then be an intermediate round at the same venue before the knockout round begins in Manila.