The women’s football team from North Korea, Naegohyang, arrived in South Korea on Sunday for the semi-finals of the Asian Champions League, an opportunity seized by Seoul to celebrate “mutual understanding” between the two countries.
The 39 players and staff landed at Incheon International Airport, marking the first visit in eight years by a North Korean sports team to their southern neighbor. They were welcomed by a crowd of journalists and fans holding welcome signs, as reported by an AFP journalist.
“I came here today to welcome the players of the Naegohyang team, who are visiting South Korea for the first time in eight years,” said AFP Choi Young-ok, a member of a citizens’ group.
However, she expressed reservations about improving relations between the two Koreas through this sporting event.
“While I hope it will help, I don’t think this match alone will resolve anything significant if the fundamental issues between the two parties are not addressed,” she affirmed, without providing further details.
The players quickly boarded a bus, which set off under police escort.
The Naegohyang FC (“My hometown” in Korean), based in Pyongyang, will face Suwon FC in the AFC Women’s Champions League semi-final on Wednesday.
Founded in 2012, the club won the North Korean championship title in the 2021-2022 season and defeated Suwon 3-0 in last year’s group stage of the tournament.
– Flags banned –
The North Korean delegation arrived via Beijing on a commercial Air China flight and is expected to stay at a hotel in Suwon, south of Seoul.
According to local media, the North and South Korean teams will use separate dining rooms and travel routes, limiting direct interactions.
The match has generated great interest, with the 7,000 tickets sold out within hours.
The match will take place at Suwon Sports Complex, which has a capacity of just under 12,000 seats.
The South Korean Ministry of Unification has also funded civilian organizations planning to support both teams during the match, seeing this event as an opportunity to promote “mutual understanding between the two Koreas.”
These organizations have discussed encouragement guidelines with authorities beforehand, as displaying the North Korean national flag in public is prohibited in South Korea under the National Security Law.
During similar events held in the past, flags representing the Korean peninsula have caused controversy.
Women’s football is one of the sports where North Korea excels the most.
Their national team currently ranks 11th in the FIFA women’s ranking, far ahead of the men’s team, which is in 118th place.
Published on May 17 at 09:49, AFP
