Chinese models and actors? Hand-picked Soldiers? Or loyal workers from Pyongyang?

As the Mexican wave went around the Green Point stadium yesterday, one group of supporters remained firmly in their seats.

They had no idea what was going on – or indeed what to do – as everyone around them stood up.

But after a 30-second tutorial from their “choreographer”, the 50 North Korea fans were up on their feet taking part.

The Mirror sat with the mysterious followers of the lowest-ranked team in the competition. Yet they did not appear to be football fans. They did not seem to have a clue what was going on.

Perhaps, after a 7-0 demolition at the hands of Portugal, that wasn't a bad thing.

If rumours are to be believed, the supporters – dubbed the Fans Volunteer Army – are actors and models shipped in from China.

Others say they are North Koreans living in Japan who paid £5,000 each to follow their motherland in South Africa. And one fan, Kim Yong-Chul, recently claimed they were all military men, handpicked by the communist regime to support the team.

One follower who spoke to the Mirror yesterday was Ri Kyongjae, who claimed to be from Japan and at the game alone.

So it must have been a coincidence then that he was seen escorting the rest of the fans to the toilet at half-time.

He insisted the North Koreans – all dressed in matching red jackets and baseball caps – were every-day citizens from their capital Pyongyang.

“The stories in the media about them being actors is not true,” he said. “It is all a Western conspiracy to destabilise North Korea.

“They were paid to travel here by the government, that is true, but the rest is nonsense.

“They are workers who wanted to support their great nation. Who are you to dismiss them?”

Attempts to speak to any of the others were dismissed with polite shakes of the head.

Actors, communist officials, workers – whatever you call them – they certainly didn't seem to be football fans. OK, they knew it was a good thing when the ball crossed the halfway line into Portuguese territory, but that was about it.

During a rare North Korean attack, the ball went out for a corner and the fans sat in silence. Only when one of their two cheerleaders told them to cheer did they all stand up. Instantly the TV cameras were on them, job done.

Inside the stadium, the merchandise stalls were doing a roaring trade in Portuguese scarves and shirts. But when asked whether they had any North Korean flags, the woman serving looked bemused – they didn't.