SUWON: The coach of the first North Korean sports team to visit the South in eight years deflected political questions Tuesday, stating firmly: "We are here solely to play football."
Naegohyang Women's FC faces South Korea's Suwon FC Women in the semi-finals of the Asian Women's Champions League on Wednesday. The match has drawn massive attention, with all 7,087 general admission tickets selling out in hours.
Around 3,000 spectators from civic groups are expected to cheer both teams, though waving North Korean flags is prohibited under national security law. The Seoul government has provided US$200,000 to support these groups.
Head coach Ri Yu Il and captain Kim Kyong Yong showed no emotion during the pre-match press conference. Kim stated: "We will give our all to repay the trust and expectations of our people."
The winner advances to Saturday's final against either Australia's Melbourne City or Japan's Tokyo Verdy Beleza. Naegohyang beat Suwon FC 3-0 in the group stage, but Ri cautioned against reading too much into that result.
Women's football is a strong sport for North Korea, with the national team ranked 11th in the FIFA World Rankings.