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Agence France-Presse

Reuters

The first North Korean sports team to visit the South in eight years said they were ready to take on the world after winning the AFC Women’s Champions League.
Naegohyang Women’s FC beat Japan’s Tokyo Verdy Beleza 1-0 in the final in the South Korean city of Suwon on Saturday, thanks to captain Kim Kyong-yong’s goal just before half-time.
Naegohyang’s win means they will appear at next year’s Fifa Women’s Champions Cup, which features the champions of each of the six continental confederations, with the final four games in Miami.
The club’s coach Ri Yu-il thanked North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for his “warm love, care and trust” before looking forward to locking horns with the world’s best teams.
“Today, as we face a historic moment advancing into the world as the top team in Asia, the emotions and passion we feel are simply indescribable,” he said.
“The trophy ceremony has already concluded, and now we face the task of confronting various new challenges ahead of us.”

Women’s football is one of the strongest international sports for diplomatically isolated and impoverished North Korea, with their national sides regularly competing at the highest levels in Asia and globally.
North Korea rank 11th in the Fifa women’s world ranking, far above their men’s team, which are ranked 118th.
Ri and Kim, who was named the tournament’s best player, later walked out of the news conference after a South Korean reporter asked them a question that referred to their country as the “north side”.
The country is officially known as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
After winning the final, the Naegohyang players unfurled North Korea’s national flag – long considered taboo in South Korea under its National Security Act.
A South Korean cheering squad of around 1,200 members of civic groups backed by Seoul’s unification ministry attended the final, applauding as the players ran around the pitch carrying the North Korean flag in celebration.
South Korea’s dovish President Lee Jae Myung, whose repeated peace efforts have been largely ignored by Pyongyang, posted a message on X, congratulating the North Korean club.
“I extend my sincere congratulations to the players of Naegohyang Women’s Football Club,” he said, adding that he paid “his deep respects to our cheering squad” for its “mature cheering culture”.
“The ball is round, and we will meet again. We will cheer you on vigorously for your next challenge!”
Naegohyang, who were founded in 2012 and whose name means “My Hometown” in Korean, have been the subject of much interest since arriving in South Korea last week, with inter-Korean relations at one of their lowest points in years.
They beat South Korean team Suwon FC Women 2-1 in the semi-finals, which were also played in Suwon.
“All of our players focused solely on winning today’s match, putting in the effort while cherishing every minute and second,” said Ri, when asked about his time spent in the South.
“I did not have the time or room to concern myself with various other issues.”
The North Koreans edged Tokyo in a final that featured plenty of hard tackles but was played in a fair spirit.

The two teams 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 Kim gave Naegohyang the lead one minute before the interval.
“Although our players lacked experience in senior-level matches, we have improved significantly as a team,” Kim said.
“Through this match, we will strive to overcome our shortcomings and definitely achieve great results in future world-class competitions.”
Tickets for the final were still available shortly before kick-off, and swathes of empty seats could be seen among the crowd of 2,670 fans.
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.


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AFC Champions League

Naegohyang captain Kim Kyong-yong shoots past Tokyo Verdy defender Tomoko Muramatsu for the winning goal in the the AFC Women’s Champions League final. Photo: Reuters

Naegohyang players hoist coach Ri Yu-il after winning the final in Suwon on Saturday. Photo: EPA

Naegohyang celebrate with the North Korean flag after receiving the trophy. Photo: EPA

Naegohyang’s Kim Hye-yong (middle) tries to control the ball under pressure against Suwon FC Women in the AFC Women’s Champions League semi-final on Wednesday. Photo: Xinhua

Naegohyang coach Ri Yu-il says his team are ready to take the final step against Tokyo. Photo: AP

Naegohyang captain Kim Kyong-yong (left) scores the decider in their 2-1 win over Suwon FC. Photo: Xinhua

Naegohyang FC’s Kim Kyong-yong is mobbed by her teammates after scoring their second goal in the 2-1 win. Photo: Reuters

Suwon’s Haruhi Suzuki (right) celebrates after opening the scoring. Photo: Reuters

Naegohyang players and officials celebrate after reaching Saturday’s final. Photo: AP

Sport

Football

AFC Women’s Champions League winners Naegohyang will now represent Asia at the Fifa Champions Cup next year


AFC Women’s Champions League winners Naegohyang will now represent Asia at the Fifa Champions Cup next year.


North Korea

Kim Jong-un

Lee Jae Myung

Fifa

Coach of North Korean women’s side thanks Kim Jong-un’s ‘warm love’ after Asian title win

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}AFC Women’s Champions League winners Naegohyang will now represent Asia at the Fifa Champions Cup next year

AFC Women’s Champions League winners Naegohyang will now represent Asia at the Fifa Champions Cup next year