North Korean women's soccer club arrives in South amid strained ties
- The delegation of 27 players and 12 staff entered the country ahead of Wednesday’s match against South Korea’s Suwon FC Women in Suwon
INCHEON: North Korean women’s soccer club Naegohyang FC arrived in South Korea on Sunday for an Asian Women’s Champions League semi-final, marking the first visit by athletes from the isolated state to the South in eight years.
The delegation of 27 players and 12 staff entered the country ahead of Wednesday’s match against South Korea’s Suwon FC Women in Suwon.
The visit has been approved under the inter-Korean exchange law and covers their stay through next weekend, though the team could leave earlier if eliminated, according to Seoul’s Unification Ministry.
Public interest has been strong, with all 7,087 tickets made available to the general public selling out within a day, according to Yonhap News Agency, citing South Korea’s football federation.
The rare visit comes as North Korea has in recent years labelled the South its “most hostile state” and ruled out reuniting the nation split by the 1950-1953 Korean War. By contrast, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has called for improved ties.
“It may be difficult to hope for a complete thaw in strained relations by this one-time visit,” said a spokesperson for the ruling Democratic Party, vowing to make efforts to open the door for exchanges and dialogue.
“We hope it will serve as an opportunity to tear down high barriers between the South and the North,” the spokesperson said.
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South Korea’s government has said it would keep its role limited, given the fixture is an international club competition, but would provide logistical support for the visiting team.
The Unification Ministry said it has set aside 300 million won ($200,000) from an inter-Korean cooperation fund to support a cheering squad for both sides, citing the event’s potential to promote mutual understanding between the two Koreas.
But as the match is between clubs and not national teams, it will not feature national anthems or political symbols, including the Korean Unification flag, in line with Asian Football Confederation rules.
The Korean Unification flag, a white flag bearing a blue silhouette of the peninsula, was often used in international sports fixtures involving both sides to represent unity.
Unification Minister Chung Dong-young is also considering attending the match, according to South Korean media.
The semi-final is scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m. (1000 GMT) on Wednesday in Suwon. The winner will face either Melbourne City or Tokyo Verdy in the final on Saturday.
If Naegohyang lose, the North Korean team is expected to return home the following day, the ministry said.
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