Photo credit, AFP via Getty Images
Despite heavy rain and storms on Wednesday at Suwon Football Stadium south of Seoul, over 5,000 spectators gathered to witness a rare match between North and South Korean teams.
Although the rain continued, the crowd remained seated in the stadium, enthusiastically supporting this unique sporting event between the two Koreas.
Notably, hundreds of South Koreans were chanting in support of North Korea’s women’s football club, “Negohyang.” Local NGOs had brought these supporters with the aim of creating an encouraging atmosphere for both sides.
There had been doubts about the North Korean team’s participation due to Kim Jong Un’s recent ballistic missile tests and continued nuclear programs, which have strained relations. In 2023, he officially abandoned reunification plans and declared South Korea an ‘enemy state.’
However, the team arrived on time. This visit marked their first trip to South Korea since 2018. The Negohyang women’s football club secured a victory, advancing to the semifinals of the Asia Women’s Champions League.
They defeated Suwon FC Women from South Korea 2-1 and will face Japan’s Tokyo Verdy Beleza in the final on Saturday.
This outcome was not surprising to football enthusiasts and those familiar with North Korea’s football history.
North Korea has built a strong reputation for women’s football over many years. FIFA ranks this team 11th worldwide, making it the second-best Asian team after Japan.
Founded in Pyongyang in 2012, the Negohyang club won the North Korean league title in 2022. The team features many national team players and is currently managed by a former head coach of the national women’s team.
Kim Young-Hyon, a professor of North Korean studies at Dongguk University in Seoul, commented, “North Korea actively seeks and trains young football talent.”
Since Kim Jong Un took power in 2011, he has been committed to making North Korea a “sports powerhouse” with a special emphasis on sports development.
Established in 2013 on Tolu Island in the capital, the Pyongyang International Football School is considered a production center for football players.
Kim Sang-Yun, a former North Korean national boxer who left the country in the 2000s, said, “During my training in the 1990s, youth athletes were systematically supported at school.”
“Talented students were often selected and trained from primary and secondary schools to sports colleges.”
Photo credit, AFP via Getty Images
Despite the ruling family’s luxurious lifestyle, North Korea remains one of the world’s poorest nations. Ordinary citizens earn meager incomes under a state-controlled economy and often risk dangerous routes to leave the country in search of a better life. Those caught face imprisonment or forced labor camps.
However, international experts attribute the country’s success in women’s football to its comprehensive top-to-bottom support. The regime also uses sports to improve its international image.
Players gain significant social recognition.
Some famous players receive luxurious cars, apartments, and membership in the ruling Workers’ Party as gifts.
Han Sol-Sang, a former North Korean player who defected, said the women’s team’s success captured significant attention domestically and boosted football’s popularity.
North Korean women’s football has achieved remarkable success, surpassing the men’s team in the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, and the 2026 AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup.
North Korean sports expert Hyo Jong-Pil stated, “The main weakness of male players is their small physical size.”
“To physically compete with Western players, they require extensive management, including adequate nutrition and meat consumption, which is often unavailable.”
Photo credit, BBC/Yujin Choi
Han added, “North Korean female players are very patient and able to endure pressure. Life is complicated, but they can make a living through hard work in sports.”
She emphasized that her comment is not about gender discrimination but about providing women more opportunities for international success.
Worldwide, women’s sports are generally less competitive, and Pyongyang’s prioritization of sports development explains the team’s success.
Some suggest that women’s football began gaining popularity after FIFA agreed to hold the Women’s World Cup in the late 1980s. “Perhaps someone persuaded Kim Jong-Il to develop it effectively,” said filmmaker Brigitte Wach, who followed the North Korean women’s team for five years and spoke in 2024.
“In a country weak in economy, science, and human rights, intensive top-to-bottom training can produce such results.”
It is difficult to gauge what ordinary North Koreans think about this victory as internet and media access are minimal, and it is unclear how many people watched the game.
Meanwhile, South Koreans plan to watch and support the players on Saturday, with assistance from the Ministry of Unification, though the ministry has faced criticism for providing financial support.
Outside the stadium, some believe that sports can help improve relations between the two Koreas.
Among them is 91-year-old Choi Jong-De, who was separated from her parents and siblings at age 16 during the Korean War and has been seeking news of her family ever since.
“These North Korean players feel like my granddaughters,” she said.
“Who knows? Some may be my nephews, nieces, or relatives. I want them to play well and be successful.”
