A North Korean women’s football team landed in South Korea yesterday to play in the Asian Champions League semi-finals, marking the first visit by a sports team from the isolated country to its southern neighbor in eight years.
Naegohyang Women’s FC – which means “My Hometown” in Korean – emerged from Incheon International Airport near Seoul surrounded by throngs of reporters and supporters holding welcome signs.
A total of 39 North Korean players and staff, dressed in identical dark jackets and skirts and wheeling pink suitcases, were greeted by dozens of people from South Korean civic groups.
The players swiftly boarded a bus, which departed the airport under police escort.
“I came here to welcome the Naegohyang team players,” said civic group member Choi Young Ok, who cautioned against having lofty hopes that the event would improve relations between the two Koreas.
“While I do hope it will help, I don’t think this match alone will solve anything significant,” she added. “A sports match is just a sports match.”
Naegohyang, based in Pyongyang, will face Suwon in the semi-finals of the Women’s Asian Champions League on Wednesday.
The North Korean entourage arrived via Beijing on an Air China commercial flight.
Local reports said the North and South Korean teams would stay at the same hotel in Suwon but use separate dining areas and travel routes, limiting direct interaction.
Interest in the match has been intense, with more than 7,000 tickets selling out within hours. Seoul’s unification ministry has also provided funding for civic groups planning to support both teams at the game.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
