Sawt Falasteen - North Korean women footballers land in South ahead of rare match

Naegohyang Women's FC -- which means "My Hometown" in Korean -- emerged from South Korea's Incheon International Airport near Seoul surrounded by throngs of reporters and supporters holding welcome signs.

A total of 39 North Korean players and staff, dressed in identical dark jackets and skirts and wheeling pink suitcases, were greeted by dozens of people from South Korean civic groups holding welcome signs.

"We welcome you!" they said as the players walked past along a cordoned-off route under heavy security presence.

The players swiftly boarded a bus, which departed the airport under police escort.

"I came here today to welcome the Naegohyang team players, who are visiting South Korea for the first time in eight years," civic group member Choi Young-ok told AFP.

But she cautioned against having lofty hopes that the event would improve relations between the two Koreas.

"While I do hope it will help, I don't think this match alone will solve anything significant unless the fundamental issues between the two sides are addressed," she said, without elaborating.

"A sports match is just a sports match," she added.

- Flags banned -

Naegohyang Women's FC, based in Pyongyang, will face Suwon FC Women in the semi-finals of the Women's Asian Champions League on Wednesday.

Founded in 2012, the club won North Korea's top-flight title in the 2021-22 season and defeated Suwon 3-0 during the tournament's group stage last year.

The North Korean entourage arrived via Beijing on an Air China commercial flight and will stay at a hotel in Suwon, south of Seoul.

Local reports said the North and South Korean teams would stay at the same hotel but use separate dining areas and travel routes, limiting direct interaction.

Interest in the match has been intense, with more than 7,000 tickets selling out within hours. The game will be at Suwon Sports Complex, which has a capacity of just under 12,000.

Seoul's unification ministry has also provided funding for civic groups planning to support both teams at the game, describing the event as an opportunity to promote "mutual understanding between the two Koreas".

According to local media, civic groups have been discussing cheering guidelines with the authorities, because waving North Korean national flags in public is prohibited under the national security law.

In past such events held in the South, civic groups instead waved flags depicting the Korean Peninsula.

Women's football is one of North Korea's strongest international sports, with their national teams regularly competing at the highest levels in Asia and globally.

North Korea are ranked 11th in the FIFA women's rankings, far ahead of their men's team, who are 118th.

S.Barghouti--SF-PST