The first visit by athletes from North Korea to South Korea in eight years. Public interest is strong with all tickets sold out.
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.
INCHEON, South Korea - North Korean women's football 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.
By contrast, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has called for improved ties. 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 from an inter-Korean co-operation 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. 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.
North Korean Women's Football Asian Women's Champions League Semi-Final Rare Visit South Korea North Korean Footballers Inter-Korean Exchange Law Suwon FC Women Scheduled Match Seoul's Unification Ministry Korean Unification Flag Club Fixture No National Anthems Political Symbols Possible Promotional Role North And South Korea Peace Promotion
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Middle East Conflict: Lebanon-Israel Talks Resume in Washington, with Continued Fighting and CasualtiesThe United Nations humanitarian coordinator for Lebanon Imran Riza condemned the 'unacceptable' toll from continued attacks, saying that 'diplomatic efforts now offer a critical opportunity to stop the violence'. A truce in the war between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah has been in place since Apr 17, but it has not stopped the fighting, with 'The IDF has begun striking Hezbollah infrastructure sites in the area of Tyre in southern Lebanon,' the Israeli military said in a statement. Lebanon's health ministry said the strikes on the Tyre district wounded at least 37 people, including six hospital personnel, nine women and four children. Hafez Ramadan, a resident near the building targeted by the airstrike, said it had housed people who had fled their towns due to the war, and was adjacent to a hotel where more displaced were staying. 'There are only women, children and the elderly here,' he said. 'Because of this strike, people have been displaced again.' Representatives from Lebanon and Israel, officially at war for decades, resumed talks at the State Department in Washington shortly after 9am (5pm, Singapore time), one diplomat said. The US described the first day of talks in Washington on Thursday as positive, but neither Lebanon or Israel have commented. Lebanon hopes that the round of negotiations in Washington on Friday will end with an extension of the ceasefire and an agreement from Israel to halt its attacks. Israeli troops have invaded parts of southern Lebanon since the start of the war, carrying out widespread demolitions of villages over the past weeks. Senior Hezbollah official Mahmud Qamati said Friday that Beirut 'going to direct, humiliating negotiations with the Israeli enemy is not a separate issue from a comprehensive conspiracy against the nation, its sovereignty and its resistance' at a time when 'the south is being destroyed and martyrs are being killed daily'. Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox
Read more »
Samsung Electronics' 18-Day Strike Over Bonus PayoutsA looming 18-day strike at South Korean chip giant Samsung that has triggered worries within the government, rattled foreign investors, and threatened global supply chains rests on one crucial question: Who should share in the spoils of the AI boom? More than 45,000 workers are threatening to stage the largest strike in the conglomerate's history from May 21, reducing production of memory chips that are crucial components in AI data centers, smartphones, and laptops, as Samsung and its union struggle to find a compromise over bonus payouts.
Read more »
Putin's Visit to China Follows Trump's China Visit, Signals Deeper Russian-Chinese Strategic AllianceThe announcement of Russian President Vladimir Putin's travel to China on May 19, just after US President Donald Trump's visit to China in 2025, indicates a more robust and strategic partnership between Moscow and Beijing. Putin and Xi Jinping will discuss strengthening their relationship, key international issues, and exchange views on regional cooperation.
Read more »
Samsung Elec, South Korea union to resume pay talks on Monday, union saysSEOUL – Samsung Electronics and its South Korean labour union will resume pay talks on Monday (May 18) with a government mediator, the union said, in a move that could ease concerns over a potentially disruptive strike at the tech giant.
Read more »