Members of Naegohyang Women’s FC greet spectators after finishing a match with Mynanmar's AWCL ISPE in Yangon, Myanmar, in this Dec. 15, 2025, file photo. EPA-Yonhap

The planned inter-Korean match between Suwon FC Women and Pyongyang’s Naegohyang Women’s FC on May 20 is drawing attention for being held in South Korea after the North defined the South as "hostile enemy state" and abandoned the principal of unification in its new Constitution.

Co-organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the Korea Football Association (KFA) and Suwon Special City, the AWCL Final 2026 is Asia's premier women's club tournament, running from May 17 to 23. The winner will meet the victor of the other semifinal between Melbourne City FC and Tokyo Verdy Beleza in the final on May 23.

The Ministry of Unification and Cheong Wa Dae “welcomed” the scheduled visit, but remain quiet regarding any direct involvement in the event, saying they will provide procedural support for the Pyongyang team, such as handling the issuance of travel documents.

The two Korean teams will stay at the same hotel in accordance with AFC rules, but will eat and be assigned rooms on separate floors, a unification ministry official said. The North Korean team is also required to pass through the mixed zone designated for post-game interviews, which it has so far rejected or ignored. Audiences are not allowed to engage in any political activities, including waving national flags, as it is a club match.

The official said, “It is an international match. The ministry is preparing for the event so that it can set a good precedent.”

As North Korea has rarely appeared at international events since the COVID-19 pandemic, many were surprised by the participation of a North Korean team in matches held in the South. The two Koreas are technically still at war, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un recently defined inter-Korean relations as those between “two hostile states” and Pyongyang recently revised its Constitution to remove references to “reunification.”

Unlike in the past, many observers see practical reasons behind the North’s participation, including showcasing its performance as a football powerhouse, competing for prize money and avoiding penalties. The winner of the tournament will receive $1 million (1.47 billion won), while the runner-up will receive $500,000 under the AFC rules. If a team refuses to participate in the semifinals, it must pay a fine of at least $100,000. It could also be barred from participating in future AFC-organized tournaments.

North Korea is widely regarded as one of Asia's best countries in women's football. Its national women's team is ranked 11th in the FIFA rankings as of April, and has also clinched a spot in the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup.

Experts caution against reading too much into the visit, interpreting it as part of a long-term approach to managing relations between two independent nations.

Source: Korea Times News