North and South Korea played out a 1-1 draw in a tense women’s football encounter at the 2026 Asian Games in Shizuoka, Japan, on Monday.
More than 2,000 spectators watched the Group F match at the 50,000-capacity Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa, a venue that hosted matches during the 2002 FIFA World Cup co-hosted by Japan and South Korea.
North Korea took the lead in the first half when Chae Un Yong finished from close range. South Korea responded after the interval, with Yun Su-jeong producing a composed finish to level the score.
The match was physical, with 27 fouls recorded. South Korea received three yellow cards, compared with one for North Korea, while the first booking came less than 30 seconds into the game.
The neighbouring countries remain technically at war because the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty.
A small group of North Korean supporters attended the game wearing red shirts, with some displaying the country’s flag on their faces and holding signs urging their team to win.
The two sides exchanged brief high-fives at the final whistle but did not speak to each other.
South Korea coach Shin Sang-woo said his young players were nervous because it was their first meeting with North Korea. He added that the political situation did not affect the team’s approach to the match.
South Korea will face Uzbekistan in the quarter-finals, while North Korea have also advanced to the last eight.
North Korea coach Pak Song Jin played down the significance of the encounter, saying the match was simply part of the football competition.
