North Korea’s Naegohyang Win Asian Women’s Champions League in Rare South Korea Visit

North Korea’s Naegohyang Women’s FC marked a rare sporting visit to South Korea with a major triumph on Saturday, defeating Japan’s Tokyo Verdy Beleza 1-0 in the final of the Asian Women’s Champions League in Suwon.

The victory came through a first-half strike from captain Kim Kyong Yong, scored just before the break after a swift counterattack. Jong Kum broke down the left flank and delivered a precise pass across goal for Kim to finish, sealing the decisive moment of the match.

The win secured Naegohyang’s place in next year’s FIFA Women’s Champions Cup, where they will face top clubs from around the world. Founded in 2012 and named “My Hometown” in Korean, the team has quickly built a reputation as one of North Korea’s strongest women’s sides.

Their journey to the title included another significant milestone earlier in the week, when they defeated South Korea’s Suwon FC Women 2-1 in the semifinals at the same stadium. The match drew strong attention as a rare North-South football encounter.

Saturday’s final was tightly contested, with Tokyo Verdy Beleza enjoying long spells of possession in the first half. However, Naegohyang defended in numbers and capitalised on one of their few clear chances before halftime. Tokyo pushed forward after the restart but struggled to break down the disciplined North Korean defence.

When the final whistle sounded, Naegohyang players embraced on the pitch while coach Ri Yu Il was seen in tears on the bench, overwhelmed by the moment.

Interest in the team’s visit to South Korea had been high. More than 7,000 tickets for their semifinal sold out within hours, reflecting the rarity of a North Korean team competing in the South. Despite that interest, empty seats were visible during the final, with tickets still available shortly before kickoff.

There were no official North Korean supporters in the stands, as citizens from the North are generally not permitted to travel to the South. Instead, South Korean spectators and civic groups filled parts of the stadium, some beating traditional drums in support of the visiting side.

Cheong Wook-sik, director of the NGO Peace Network, described the occasion as emotionally significant. “We have long been the closest neighbours, yet also the most hostile toward each other,” he said. “I hope these football events can help change that.”

Among those present was 94-year-old Choi Hyo-kwan, originally from North Korea, who said he attended simply to support the team and wished both sides well.

Naegohyang had previously lost 4-0 to Tokyo earlier in the tournament in Myanmar, making Saturday’s win a notable turnaround. The result also underlined North Korea’s strength in women’s football, where its national team is ranked 11th in the world, far ahead of its men’s side at 118th.