North Korean club edges South Korean side 2-1 in inter-Korean semifinal

May 20, 2026

Naegohyang Women's FC of North Korea defeated Suwon FC Women 2-1 in the semifinals of the Asian Football Confederation Women's Champions League on May 20 in Suwon, advancing to Saturday's final against Tokyo Verdy Beleza.

The match took place in heavy rain at Suwon Stadium, drawing 5,763 spectators. Suwon FC Women led after Haruhi Suzuki scored in the 49th minute, but Choe Kum-ok equalized six minutes later and Kim Kyong-yong netted the winner in the 67th minute.

Suwon captain Ji So-yun missed a penalty in the 75th minute following a video review. Naegohyang will face Tokyo Verdy Beleza at 2 p.m. on Saturday in the final, with US$1 million at stake.

Suwon coach Park Kil-young said the team felt hurt by the pro-North Korean crowd at their home ground. Naegohyang coach Ri Yu-il praised the passion shown by South Korean fans. Hundreds of civic group members cheered for the visiting side, viewing the event as a rare moment of inter-Korean connection.

What people are saying

Discussions on X emphasize the historic nature of the inter-Korean semifinal, noting it as the first North Korean sports team visit to the South in eight years and a rare club-level clash amid tense relations. Reactions include neutral reporting on the 2-1 result, excitement over Naegohyang's advancement to the final against Tokyo Verdy Beleza, and commentary on its geopolitical symbolism and sportsmanship. Sentiments range from factual highlights by journalists to positive acknowledgments of the milestone by football enthusiasts and international observers.

Naegohyang Women, from North Korea capital Pyongyang, have recorded a historic victory in South Korea to reach the AFC Champions League final.

A 2-1 victory at Suwon, based 40 kilometers south of South Korean capital Seoul, saw Naegohyang progress to Saturday’s final against… pic.twitter.com/KiybNZnvtm

— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) May 20, 2026

🇰🇵🇰🇷 Hoy hemos vivido historia en la Champions League de la AFC con las semifinales entre el Naegohyang y el Suwon.

Por primera vez en la historia, un equipo femenino norcoreano ha jugado en territorio surcoreano 👇 pic.twitter.com/FaQoog4MH6

— Real Politik FC (@RPolitikFC) May 20, 2026

Vittoria storica per la Naegohyang! Le nordcoreane vincono contro le sudcoreane del Suwon in quella che è stata la prima volta da anni di atlete nordcoreane su suolo sudcoreano e volano in finale di AFC Women's Champions League! 🇰🇵💥🇰🇷#AWCLFinal https://t.co/JZkK0IUukz

— Danilo Servadei 🇯🇵 (@DaniJ_1995) May 20, 2026

https://t.co/lWN1eno6VR
Der Naegohyang Women's FC siegte im Halbfinale der asiatischen Champions League bei den Suwon FC Women 2:1. Die Tickets waren rasch ausverkauft

— FB Update Austria (@PPpfirsting1) May 20, 2026

North Korea's first sports team to visit the South in eight years reached the Asian Women's Champions League final as Naegohyang Women's FC beat Suwon FC Women 2-1.

READ: https://t.co/juceoRzABm pic.twitter.com/uEi6P45mx3

— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) May 21, 2026

Sources

• https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260520013100315
• https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260520012900315
• https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260520012800315
• https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260520012700315
• https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260520012351315
• https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260520012300315