January 22 – Despite the bitter political tensions between the two neighbours, North Korea has agreed to send men’s and women’s football teams to South Korea for this year’s Asian Games in Incheon.
North Korea’s women won the East Asia Cup in South Korea last year and this could be a reason for another rare appearance in the south by its players given that the two countries are still technically at war.
North Korea attended the 2002 Asian Games in Busan but had earlier boycotted the 1986 event in Seoul, as well as the Olympics in the same city two years later.
Pyongyang was invited to participate at this year’s September 19 to October 4 Asian Games through the Olympic Council of Asia and the positive response could be viewed as another sign of football acting as a unifying force amid hostile political relations.
“We welcome North Korea’s participation in the football event and hope it will also take part in other events,” said Song Young-Gil, the mayor of Incheon.
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