[3][4] Han and the others trained twice a day starting at 6:00 a.m. and were under other restrictions which included being unmarried, no smoking, no drinking, and (for the last six months) being in bed by 10:00 p.m.[4] In early 1965, the North Korean leagues were suspended to allow the roster to focus solely on the task of making the World Cup.
[4] Han and the rest of the players gained experience by playing a number of international matches against nations including North Vietnam, Indonesia, Laos, Cambodia and China.
[5] Later in 1965, Han was a key player at the 1966 FIFA World Cup qualification, scoring two goals over Australia in the eliminating match, which made North Korea the sole qualifier from the African, Asian and Oceanic zone.
"[4] The North Korean team played all their first round games at Ayresome Park in Middlesbrough, England, as part of Group 4 in the tournament which included the Soviet Union, Chile and Italy.
[11] For the team's performance at the World Cup, all the players who appeared in a match were given the title of Merited Athlete, the second-highest honor for sportspeople in North Korea.