North Korean women claim Asian Champions League crown to cap historic journey

Naegohyang Women FC became the first North Korean team to visit the South in eight years and won the Asian Women’s Champions League by beating Japan’s Tokyo Verdy Beleza 1-0 in the final. Captain Kim Kyong Yong scored just before halftime in Suwon. The team’s victory followed a 2-1 semi-final win over Suwon FC Women at the same stadium. Women’s football is a major strength for North Korea, with national sides regularly competing at top levels in Asia and globally. The win qualifies Naegohyang for next year’s FIFA Women’s Champions Cup. The final featured hard tackles but remained fair, with players hugging after the match and the coach reacting emotionally. Ticket demand for the semi-final was extremely high, while the final had some empty seats and no official North Korean supporters.

"Naegohyang Women's FC lifted the trophy 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, who were founded in 2012 and whose name means My Hometown in Korean, beat Suwon FC Women 2-1 in the semi-finals 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 semi-final against Suwon sold out within hours. Tickets for the final were still available shortly before kick-off and swathes 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. Around 3,000 spectators from civic groups backed by Seoul's unification ministry were expected. Cheong Wook-sik, director of South Korean NGO Peace Network, said before the game that Naegohyang's visit was emot"

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