North Korea's Naegohyang Women's FC advanced to the AFC Women's Champions League final Wednesday after defeating host side Suwon FC Women 2-1 in a rare inter-Korean match played amid lingering political tensions.
The win locked Naegohyang into another match in South Korea, a final Saturday against Tokyo Verdy Beleza, which defeated Melbourne City 3-1 in the other semifinal of the Asian Football Confederation Women’s Champions League.
"I trusted our team’s strength. If all of us stay united firmly as one, neither the semifinals nor the final would be a problem for us,” said Naegohyang goal-scorer Choi Kum Ok.
While athletes from North and South Korea have previously competed on combined teams and marched together in Olympic ceremonies during periods of warmer ties, such exchanges have largely disappeared in recent years as relations between the rivals deteriorated over North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.
Naegohyang has drawn intense media attention since its 39 players and staff arrived in South Korea on Sunday on a flight from China.
