Home

The Korea Herald

Latest news

Most Popular

  1. 1

    Actor Jung Woo-sung admits to being father of model Moon Ga-bi’s child

    Actor Jung Woo-sung admits to being father of model Moon Ga-bi’s child
  2. 2

    Wealthy parents ditch Korean passports to get kids into international school

    Wealthy parents ditch Korean passports to get kids into international school
  3. 3

    Man convicted after binge eating to avoid military service

    Man convicted after binge eating to avoid military service
  4. 4

    First snow to fall in Seoul on Wednesday

    First snow to fall in Seoul on Wednesday
  5. 5

    Final push to forge UN treaty on plastic pollution set to begin in Busan

    Final push to forge UN treaty on plastic pollution set to begin in Busan
  1. 6

    Korea to hold own memorial for forced labor victims, boycotting Japan’s

    Korea to hold own memorial for forced labor victims, boycotting Japan’s
  2. 7

    Nvidia CEO signals Samsung’s imminent shipment of AI chips

    Nvidia CEO signals Samsung’s imminent shipment of AI chips
  3. 8

    S. Korea not to attend Sado mine memorial: foreign ministry

    S. Korea not to attend Sado mine memorial: foreign ministry
  4. 9

    Toxins at 622 times legal limit found in kids' clothes from Chinese platforms

    Toxins at 622 times legal limit found in kids' clothes from Chinese platforms
  5. 10

    Job creation lowest on record among under-30s

    Job creation lowest on record among under-30s
피터빈트

Women's football fans from both Koreas make noise in rare showdown in Japan

By Yonhap

Published : Dec. 11, 2017 - 17:10

    • Link copied

CHIBA, Japan -- South Korean and North Korean female football players were not the only ones to go toe-to-toe at a regional tournament here on Monday, as supporters from both sides also engaged in some competition in the stands.

South Korea and North Korea played their second match at the East Asian Football Federation E-1 Football Championship at Soga Sports Park in Chiba, Japan. South Korea suffered a 3-2 loss to hosts Japan in their opener on Friday, while North Korea collected a 2-0 win against China on the same day.

The inter-Korean clash in Chiba was the 19th of its kind. It was also the first time since Feb. 29, 2016, that the two sides went head-to-head in Japan.

They had last faced each other in April this year. But at the time there were no South Korean fans, as the qualifying match for the 2018 Asian Football Confederation Women's Asian Cup was held in Pyongyang.

At Soga Sports Park in Chiba, North Korean fans outnumbered South Koreans in the stands. More than 300 North Korea supporters, who are believed to be members of Chongryon -- a pro-North Korean group in Japan that has maintained close ties with the communist regime -- occupied the southeast section of the stadium, while there were only about 10 in the South Korean supporters' section.

Supporters of North Korea women`s national football team encourage their team by hitting balloon sticks together during the East Asian Football Federation E-1 Football Championship match between North Korea and South Korea at Soga Sports Park in Chiba, Japan, on Dec. 11, 2017. (Yonhap) Supporters of North Korea women`s national football team encourage their team by hitting balloon sticks together during the East Asian Football Federation E-1 Football Championship match between North Korea and South Korea at Soga Sports Park in Chiba, Japan, on Dec. 11, 2017. (Yonhap)

North Korea fans also displayed more banners than South Koreans, showing messages that read "attacking game," speed," and "victory." From the South Korean side, there was only one banner that read "we're always with you."

Despite being outnumbered, the South Korean supporters were still very loud.

Playing drums, a small group of South Korean supporters, also known as "the Red Devils," chanted "Daehanminguk," literally meaning Republic of Korea in Korean. North Korea supporters, on the other hand, shouted "Piseung Joson," meaning "North Korea to the victory," in Korean, while hitting their balloon sticks together.

"It's a pity that many South Korean residents here couldn't come since most of them had to work at this time," said South Korean supporter Baek Chang-hyun, who came from Seoul. The inter-Korean match started at 4:10 p.m.

Baek, 32, however, said he was confident that his side could give more energy to players on the pitch.

"We're not worried about what North Koreans do," he said. "I believe our supporters' power is stronger than them. We just hope South Korea can win against North Korea this time."

South Korean women have an inferior head-to-head record against North Korea, with one win, three draws and 14 losses. They are undefeated in the last two matches, though, with back-to-back 1-1 draws. (Yonhap)

 

More from Headlines