{"id":38515,"date":"2026-05-20T07:32:08","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T07:32:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/?p=38515"},"modified":"2026-05-20T07:32:10","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T07:32:10","slug":"could-a-soccer-match-help-mend-ties-between-north-and-south-korea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/?p=38515","title":{"rendered":"Could a soccer match help mend ties between North and South Korea?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p id=\"anchor-d6999b\" class=\"body-graf\">Rivals. Neighbors. <\/p>\n<p><button class=\"styles_subscriptionCTA__LOUeY\" id=\"subscriptionCTA\" type=\"button\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"styles_textWrapper__vxvko\">\n<p class=\"styles_text__daaVB styles_textLarge__qlzwu\">Subscribe to read this story ad-free    <\/p>\n<p class=\"styles_text__daaVB\">Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/rockcms\/2026-01\/arrow-f55fa5.svg\" alt=\"arrow\" class=\"styles_arrow__tnruW\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><\/button><\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-2f4898\" class=\"body-graf\">It\u2019s a storied sporting narrative, but one that has rarely carried such meaning.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-ae9857\" class=\"body-graf\">A North Korean women\u2019s soccer team will take the field Wednesday in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/world\/south-korea\/south-koreas-ousted-president-yoon-plotted-martial-law-eliminate-rival-rcna249252\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">South Korea<\/a>, becoming the first sports team from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/news\/north-korea\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">isolated, nuclear-armed state<\/a> to visit the democratic south in eight years. <\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-299fd4\" class=\"body-graf\">The rare clash has generated intense interest, offering a high-profile showcase for not only the prowess of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/world\/north-korea\/kim-jong-un-vows-continue-support-russia-north-korea-opens-memorial-mu-rcna342244\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kim Jong Un<\/a>\u2019s regime but also efforts to keep building ties between these two countries that are technically still at war.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-61e424\" class=\"body-graf\">Kim is pursuing a more hostile policy toward U.S. ally South Korea, cementing his neighbor as the north\u2019s \u201cprimary foe\u201d and rebuffing repeated attempts at dialogue from South Korea\u2019s liberal president, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/world\/asia\/south-korea-japan-lee-jae-myung-sanae-takaichi-rcna345836\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lee Jae Myung<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-20e35e\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cWe came here strictly to play the match,\u201d said Ri Yu Il, coach of Pyongyang\u2019s Naegohyang Women\u2019s FC. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"styles_inlineImage__FvnTh styles_medium__MEKii\" id=\"anchor-f1a7ca\"><picture class=\"styles_image__i32F7\" data-testid=\"picture\" data-flavor=\"fit\" data-original-height=\"1721\" data-original-width=\"2500\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260520-nk-soccer-3-rs-57445d.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260520-nk-soccer-3-rs-57445d.jpg 1x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 320px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260520-nk-soccer-3-rs-57445d.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260520-nk-soccer-3-rs-57445d.jpg 1x\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260520-nk-soccer-3-rs-57445d.jpg\" alt=\"FBL-ASIA-WOMEN-KOR-PRK-SKOREA-NKOREA-DIPLOMACY\" height=\"1721\" width=\"2500\"\/><\/picture><figcaption class=\"caption styles_caption__TCewG\" data-testid=\"caption\"><span class=\"caption__container\" data-testid=\"caption__container\">Players from North Korea\u2019s Naegohyang Women\u2019s FC arriving at Incheon International Airport in South Korea on Sunday.<\/span><span class=\"caption__source\" data-testid=\"caption__source\">Jung Yeon-je \/ AFP via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"anchor-ba8433\" class=\"body-graf\">Naegohyang will face South Korea\u2019s Suwon FC Women on Wednesday in the semifinals of the Asian Football Confederation Women\u2019s Champions League, a prestigious regional tournament.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-b9d9e0\" class=\"body-graf\">But it will be hard to keep attention solely on the field in Suwon, a city south of Seoul.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-f946a1\" class=\"body-graf\">Public interest in the rare North-South matchup has been high, with all 7,087 general admission tickets selling out within hours last week.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-8df802\" class=\"body-graf\">Also in the stands will be an estimated 3,000 spectators from civic groups supported by Seoul\u2019s Unification Ministry, who are expected to cheer for both sides.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-2f5ce8\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cThe issue of the cheering squad is not something I, as coach, or our players are thinking about. I think we will focus only on the game,\u201d Ri said at a news conference.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-d2ca4e\" class=\"body-graf\">The North Korean delegation \u2014 made up of 27 players and 12 staff members \u2014 traveled via Beijing before it arrived at Incheon International Airport on Sunday. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"styles_inlineImage__FvnTh styles_medium__MEKii\" id=\"anchor-cf7374\"><picture class=\"styles_image__i32F7\" data-testid=\"picture\" data-flavor=\"fit\" data-original-height=\"1682\" data-original-width=\"2500\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260520-nk-soccer-2-rs-fbc465.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260520-nk-soccer-2-rs-fbc465.jpg 1x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 320px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260520-nk-soccer-2-rs-fbc465.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260520-nk-soccer-2-rs-fbc465.jpg 1x\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260520-nk-soccer-2-rs-fbc465.jpg\" alt=\"FBL-ASIA-WOMEN-KOR-PRK-SKOREA-NKOREA-POLITICS\" height=\"1682\" width=\"2500\"\/><\/picture><figcaption class=\"caption styles_caption__TCewG\" data-testid=\"caption\"><span class=\"caption__container\" data-testid=\"caption__container\">South Korean activists holding banners welcoming the North Korean players at the airport on Sunday.<\/span><span class=\"caption__source\" data-testid=\"caption__source\">Jung Yeon-je \/ AFP via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"anchor-92cc76\" class=\"body-graf\">Naegohyang beat Suwon during the group stages of the tournament, and another victory Wednesday would send the North Korean club to the final this weekend, when it would face either Melbourne City FC or Tokyo Verdy Beleza.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-62520f\" class=\"body-graf\">North Korea is something of a powerhouse in women\u2019s soccer, frequently winning youth competitions and competing at a much higher standard than its men\u2019s teams. <\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-661ce0\" class=\"body-graf\">Pyongyang is likely to use the event to project an image of stability and strength, analysts said, though it could also provide an opening for South Korea\u2019s liberals to improve relations. <\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-59c81e\" class=\"body-graf\">It will try to use the opportunity to demonstrate \u201cconfidence in the stability of its regime through achievements as a sports powerhouse,\u201d said Lim Eul-chul, a North Korea expert at Kyungnam University, adding that the match could also allow the Lee administration in the south to \u201cimprove inter-Korean relations.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-ec6065\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cThe movement of athletes under international sporting norms suggests that minimal communication channels and security assurances between the two Koreas are still functioning,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"styles_inlineImage__FvnTh styles_medium__MEKii\" id=\"anchor-4ec594\"><picture class=\"styles_image__i32F7\" data-testid=\"picture\" data-flavor=\"fit\" data-original-height=\"1667\" data-original-width=\"2500\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260520-nk-soccer-rs-3db1ea.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260520-nk-soccer-rs-3db1ea.jpg 1x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 320px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260520-nk-soccer-rs-3db1ea.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260520-nk-soccer-rs-3db1ea.jpg 1x\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260520-nk-soccer-rs-3db1ea.jpg\" alt=\"FBL-ASIA-WOMEN-KOR-PRK\" height=\"1667\" width=\"2500\"\/><\/picture><figcaption class=\"caption styles_caption__TCewG\" data-testid=\"caption\"><span class=\"caption__container\" data-testid=\"caption__container\">North Korean players at a training session in Suwon, South Korea, on Monday.<\/span><span class=\"caption__source\" data-testid=\"caption__source\">Jung Yeon-je \/ AFP via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"anchor-b53910\" class=\"body-graf\">He noted, however, that North Korean players may face strict controls. <\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-028602\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cPyongyang is likely to impose unprecedented levels of control, including severe restrictions on contact with South Korean individuals,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-837fa8\" class=\"body-graf\">The AFC did not respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-093a7d\" class=\"body-graf\">Sports diplomacy has previously played a role in relations between the two Koreas. <\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-07e2e5\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cHistorically, sports diplomacy has helped to spur inter-Korean engagement,\u201d said Victor Cha, who was director for Asian affairs at the U.S. National Security Council from 2004 to 2007. <\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-1fe7e7\" class=\"body-graf\">According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the two Koreas fielded a joint table tennis team in 1991 that defeated China. They also marched under a unified flag during the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/olympics\/news\/sydney-2000-olympics-anniversary-15-moments\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2000 Sydney Summer Olympics<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/winter-olympics-2018\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2018 Winter Olympics<\/a> in South Korea.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-bcad7b\" class=\"body-graf\">The last time North Korea sent its women\u2019s national soccer team to the South was more than a decade ago, during the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon. <\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-997bee\" class=\"endmark body-graf\">\u201cThe match happening would not be a bad thing, and it could be a diplomatic opening,\u201d Cha added, noting the game comes days after <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/donald-trump\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">President Donald Trump<\/a>\u2019s visit to China, a key backer of North Korea.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/world\/asia\/soccer-match-help-mend-ties-north-south-korea-rcna344503\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rivals. Neighbors. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content. It\u2019s a storied sporting narrative, but one that has rarely carried such meaning. A North Korean women\u2019s soccer team will take the field Wednesday in South Korea, becoming the first sports team from the isolated, nuclear-armed state to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":38516,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[171],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-38515","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-conditions"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38515","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=38515"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38515\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38517,"href":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38515\/revisions\/38517"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/38516"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=38515"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=38515"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=38515"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}