Trending Now - North Korean Women's Soccer Team Makes Historic Visit to South Korea
WHO:
CNN - The North Korean women's soccer team, specifically the Naegohyang Women’s Football Club, consisting of 39 players and staff.
CNN - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.
WHAT:
CNN - The North Korean women’s soccer program is enjoying remarkable success, with the team having won the Under-17 Women’s World Cup four times and the Under-20 Women’s World Cup three times.
AP - The North Korean team defeated Suwon FC Women 3-0 in the group stage in Myanmar last November.
ABC News World - The North Korean women’s soccer team has arrived in South Korea to compete in a regional tournament.
CNN - The team is participating in the Asian club championship.
CNN - The team includes 27 players and is permitted to stay in South Korea for a week, in case they advance to the finals.
CNN - More than 7,000 tickets for the semi-final match sold out quickly.
CNN - The final match is scheduled for Saturday at the same stadium.
WHERE:
CNN - The team arrived at Incheon International Airport in South Korea.
CNN - The semi-final match will be played in Suwon, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of Seoul.
CNN - The other teams in the final four are Australia’s Melbourne City and Japan’s Tokyo Verdy Beleza.
WHEN:
CNN - North Korean athletes last visited South Korea in December 2018.
CNN - The semi-final match is scheduled for Wednesday.
CNN - The finals are scheduled for Saturday.
WHY:
AP - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called South Korea his country’s principal enemy and has taken steps to eliminate the idea of shared statehood, establishing a hostile “two-state” system on the Korean Peninsula.
CNN - The visit occurs despite a lack of warm inter-Korean ties, as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has recently revised the constitution to define the two countries as distinct territories.
CNN - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung is attempting to improve relations across the demilitarized zone.
HOW:
AP - South Korea’s government will provide financial support to civic groups planning to organize a 3,000-member squad to cheer for both North and South Korean teams at Wednesday’s match.
CNN - The North Korean team arrived on a flight from Beijing and was escorted by police to their destination in Suwon.
CNN - The players arrived dressed in matching blazers and skirts and did not engage with the media or pro-unification groups upon arrival.
(UPDATED May 17, 2026 17:15 UTC)
The North Korean women’s soccer program is celebrating impressive achievements, having won the Under-17 Women’s World Cup four times and the Under-20 Women’s World Cup three times. Recently, the North Korean team secured a decisive victory against Suwon FC Women, winning three to nothing during the group stage in Myanmar last November. In a show of unity, South Korea’s government is set to provide financial support for civic groups that will organize a cheering squad of 3,000 members to support both North and South Korean teams at the upcoming match on May 24, 2026.
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(UPDATED May 17, 2026 11:16 UTC)
The North Korean women's soccer team, consisting of 39 players and staff from the Naegohyang Women’s Football Club, has arrived in South Korea to compete in the Asian club championship, marking their first visit since December 2018. They landed at Incheon International Airport and will be staying for a week, in case they advance to the finals, with the semi-final match scheduled for Wednesday in Suwon, where more than 7,000 tickets have already sold out. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung is working to improve relations across the demilitarized zone, even as the visit comes amid tensions, with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un recently revising the constitution to define the two nations as distinct territories.