{"id":339438,"date":"2026-05-23T13:48:37","date_gmt":"2026-05-23T08:18:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/?p=339438"},"modified":"2026-05-23T13:48:37","modified_gmt":"2026-05-23T08:18:37","slug":"north-korean-women-crowned-asian-club-champions-in-south-korea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/2026\/05\/23\/north-korean-women-crowned-asian-club-champions-in-south-korea\/","title":{"rendered":"North Korean women crowned Asian club champions in South Korea"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

\n
\n

North Korea\u2019s Naegohyang Women\u2019s FC players rejoice after defeating Japan\u2019s Tokyo Verdy Beleza within the AFC Women\u2019s Champions League final at Suwon Sports Complex in Suwon on May 23, 2026. (Photo by Pedro Pardo \/ AFP)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The primary North Korean sports team to go to the South in eight years crowned their trip by winning the Asian Women\u2019s Champions League, beating Japan\u2019s Tokyo Verdy Beleza 1-0 in Saturday\u2019s final.<\/p>\n

Naegohyang Women\u2019s FC lifted the trophy because of captain Kim Kyong Yong\u2019s goal just before half-time within the South Korean city of Suwon.<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tArticle continues after this commercial<\/i><\/p><\/div>\n

READ: North Korean women win rare match in South to succeed in final<\/h4>\n
\n

\ud835\ude3e\ud835\ude64\ud835\ude62\ud835\ude5a\ud835\ude69\ud835\ude5d \ud835\ude69\ud835\ude5d\ud835\ude5a \ud835\ude5d\ud835\ude64\ud835\ude6a\ud835\ude67, \ud835\ude58\ud835\ude64\ud835\ude62\ud835\ude5a\ud835\ude69\ud835\ude5d \ud835\ude69\ud835\ude5d\ud835\ude5a \ud835\ude58\ud835\ude56\ud835\ude65\ud835\ude69\ud835\ude56\ud835\ude5e\ud835\ude63.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\uddf0\ud83c\uddf5 Kim Kyong-yong rises to the occasion!#AWCLFinal<\/a> | #TVBvNAE<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/KBwTZ81Jnt<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 AFC Women\u2019s Football (@TheAWCL) May 23, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Women\u2019s football is certainly one of North Korea\u2019s strongest international sports, with their national sides recurrently competing at the very best levels in Asia and globally.<\/p>\n

Naegohyang\u2019s win means they are going to appear in next 12 months\u2019s FIFA Women\u2019s Champions Cup, which can feature teams from all over the world.<\/p>\n

Naegohyang, who were founded in 2012 and whose name means \u201cMy Hometown\u201d in Korean, beat Suwon FC Women 2-1 within the semifinals at the identical Suwon stadium earlier this week in a rare North-South match-up.<\/p>\n

\nArticle continues after this commercial<\/i>\t\t <\/p><\/div>\n

The North Koreans edged Tokyo in a final that featured loads of hard tackles but was played in a good spirit.<\/p>\n

The players hugged one another at the ultimate whistle and coach Ri Yu Il sat on the bench and wept with joy.<\/p>\n

READ: North Korean football team ventures into South<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tArticle continues after this commercial<\/i><\/p><\/div>\n

Interest in Naegohyang\u2019s visit to the South has been intense, and seven,087 general admission tickets for his or her semi-final against Suwon sold out inside hours.<\/p>\n

Tickets for the ultimate were still available shortly before kick-off and swathes of empty seats could possibly be seen within the stadium.<\/p>\n

There have been no official Naegohyang supporters because North Koreans are generally not allowed into the South, and the 2 countries have technically remained at war since 1950.<\/p>\n

South Korean spectators, wearing sunglasses and caps under the sunny weather, beat traditional Korean drums while cheering for Naegohyang.<\/p>\n

Around 3,000 spectators from civic groups backed by Seoul\u2019s unification ministry were expected.<\/p>\n

\u2018Closest neighbors\u2019<\/h2>\n

Cheong Wook-sik, director of South Korean NGO Peace Network, told AFP before the sport that Naegohyang\u2019s visit was \u201cemotionally overwhelming for a lot of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

READ: North Korea\u2019s football World Cup glory fuels propaganda<\/h4>\n

\u201cWe have now long been the closest neighbors, yet also essentially the most hostile towards one another,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope these football events may also help change that, even when it might sound too idealistic.\u201d<\/p>\n

Choi Hyo-kwan, who’s originally from the North, was attending the sport on the age of 94.<\/p>\n

\u201cI heard they were playing Japan today, so I got here out to support them,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbove all, I just hope everyone stays healthy, avoids injuries and goes all of the solution to victory.\u201d<\/p>\n

Naegohyang and Tokyo had met earlier within the competition, with the Japanese side winning 4-0 in the primary round in Myanmar.<\/p>\n

READ: North Korea set to finish years-long sporting isolation at Asian Games<\/strong><\/p>\n

The ultimate was a much closer affair, with Tokyo having the higher of the primary half until Naegohyang scored one minute before the interval.<\/p>\n

Jong Kum broke down the left after a fast counterattack and he or she squared the ball for Kim to complete.<\/p>\n

Tokyo pressed for an equaliser within the second half but Naegohyang were comfortable to absorb the pressure and look for an additional probability to interrupt forward.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n \n <\/path>\n <\/svg>
\n
\n Your subscription couldn’t be saved. Please try again.
\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n
\n \n <\/path>\n <\/svg>
\n
\n Your subscription has been successful.
\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

North Korea rank eleventh within the FIFA women\u2019s world rating, far above their men\u2019s team, which is ranked 118th.<\/p>\n

Tokyo were seeking to turn into Asian champions for the second time, having won the Champions League\u2019s forerunner competition in 2019.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n