North Korean Women’s Team Set to Visit South Korea for First Match in Eight Years

The North Korean women’s team is set to compete in South Korea for the first time in eight years, coinciding with a cautious diplomatic thaw.

The North Korean women’s football team is set to travel to South Korea for a match later this month, marking the first visit of its kind in eight years.

Naegohyang Women’s FC is set to face Suwon FC Women on May 20 in the semi-final of the Asian Women’s Champions League, South Korea’s Unification Ministry said.

North Korea has provided a delegation list consisting of 27 players and 12 staff members who will participate in the trip.

The team is scheduled to arrive in South Korea on May 17.

The visit occurs as South Korean President Lee Jae Myung seeks to enhance relations with Pyongyang following years of tension, particularly in light of the recent diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing hostilities and fostering cooperation between the two Koreas.

The last time North Korean athletes visited the South was in 2018, when they took part in multiple events, including the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, where both countries formed a joint women’s ice hockey team.

Relations have deteriorated since then. North Korea has described the South as its “most hostile state” and said it no longer seeks reunification.

Officials in South Korea announced that the government’s involvement in the forthcoming match will be minimal, as it is categorized as an international club competition instead of an inter-Korean event.

Authorities in Seoul will still provide logistical support for the visiting team during their stay.

Two semi-final matches are set to take place in Suwon on May 20, with the North Korean team’s game scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. The winner will compete against either Melbourne City or Tokyo Verdy in the final on May 23, also taking place in Suwon.

If Naegohyang Women’s FC loses in the semi-final, they are expected to return home the following day.