<p><br /> South African police have knocked down a report posted on a Portuguese website claiming four players from North Korea's World Cup soccer squad have gone missing.<br /> </p><p><br /> The report on the PortuGOAL.net website said the four players were missing when the Asian team played against Brazil in their opening match this week and were nowhere to be found.<br /> </p><p><br /> South African police said that all the team members have been accounted for.<br /> </p><p><br /> Secretive North Korea are appearing in their first World Cup Finals since 1966.<br /> </p><p><br /> The reclusive state dispatches security agents to keep tabs on athletes who travel abroad and subtly reminds them that its authorities will jail their family and friends if they try to defect, human rights groups have said.<br /> </p><p><br /> The North Koreans faced Brazil on Tuesday which did not end in a fairytale return to the World Cup finals, but they still were able to hold their heads high after a 2-1 defeat in their Group G opener.<br /> </p><p><br /> North Korea faces Portugal in Cape Town on June 21.<br /> </p>
