North Korean women’s team win Asian Champions League title in South Korea

The first North Korean sports team to visit the South in eight years crowned their trip by winning the Asian Women’s Champions League, beating Japan’s Tokyo Verdy Beleza 1-0 in the final.

Naegohyang Women’s FC lifted the trophy on Saturday thanks to captain Kim Kyong Yong’s goal just before half-time in the South Korean city of Suwon.

Women’s football is one of North Korea’s strongest international sports, with their national sides regularly competing at the highest levels in Asia and globally.

Naegohyang’s win means they will appear in next year’s FIFA Women’s Champions Cup, which will feature teams from around the world.

Naegohyang, founded in 2012 and whose name means “My Hometown” in Korean, beat Suwon FC Women 2-1 in the semifinals at the same Suwon stadium earlier this week in a rare North-South match-up.

The North Koreans edged Tokyo in a final that featured plenty of hard tackles but was played in a fair spirit.

The players hugged each other at the final whistle, and coach Ri Yu Il sat on the bench and wept with joy.

Interest in Naegohyang’s visit to the South has been intense, and 7,087 general admission tickets for their semifinal against Suwon sold out within hours.

Tickets for the final were still available shortly before kickoff, and swaths of empty seats could be seen in the stadium.

There were no official Naegohyang supporters because North Koreans are generally not allowed into the South, and the two countries have technically remained at war since 1950.

South Korean spectators, wearing sunglasses and caps under the sunny weather, beat traditional Korean drums while cheering for Naegohyang.

About 3,000 spectators from civic groups backed by Seoul’s Ministry of Unification were expected.

‘Closest neighbours’

Cheong Wook-sik, director of South Korean NGO Peace Network, told the AFP news agency before the game that Naegohyang’s visit was “emotionally overwhelming for many of us”.

“We have long been the closest neighbours, yet also the most hostile towards each other,” he said.

“I hope these football events can help change that, even if it may sound too idealistic.”

Choi Hyo-kwan, who is originally from the North, was attending the game at the age of 94.

“I heard they were playing Japan today, so I came out to support them,” he said.

“Above all, I just hope everyone stays healthy, avoids injuries and goes all the way to victory.”

Naegohyang and Tokyo had met earlier in the competition, with the Japanese side winning 4-0 in the first round in Myanmar.

The final was a much closer affair, with Tokyo having the better of the first half until Naegohyang scored one minute before the interval.

Jong Kum broke down the left after a quick counterattack, and she squared the ball for Kim to finish.

Tokyo pressed for an equaliser in the second half, but Naegohyang were comfortable to soak up the pressure and look for another chance to break forward.

North Korea are 11th in the FIFA women’s world ranking, far above their men’s team, which is ranked 118th.

Tokyo were looking to become Asian champions for the second time, having won the Champions League’s forerunner competition in 2019.