0
South Korea’s Yoon Soo-jung celebrates with teammates after scoring the equalizer against North Korea during the women’s football group-stage match at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa in Fukuroi, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, on Sept. 21. / Yonhap

South Korea’s women’s football team advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games as Group F runners-up after holding world No. 1 North Korea to a 1-1 draw.

Led by head coach Shin Sang-woo, South Korea drew 1-1 with North Korea in their third Group F match at Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa in Fukuroi, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, on Sept. 21.

Both teams finished the group stage with two wins and one draw, but North Korea topped the group on goal difference, with South Korea finishing second.

South Korea remain at a significant disadvantage in their all-time record against North Korea, with one win, five draws and 16 losses after Sunday’s match.

South Korea have not beaten North Korea since the 2005 East Asian Cup and suffered a 4-1 defeat at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, which were held in 2023.

North Korea took the lead in the 36th minute through Chae Eun-young. After Jang Sel-gi failed to fully clear a corner kick, the ball fell to North Korea’s Choi Eun-young, who scored with a turning shot amid a scramble in front of goal.

Yoon Soo-jung, 24, of Suwon FC, came on at the start of the second half and equalized just one minute later.

The two sides continued to trade attacks, but neither managed to score again.

North Korea had not participated in a major multi-sport international event held in Japan since sending a large delegation to the 1985 Kobe Universiade. It sent 107 athletes across 14 sports to this year’s Asian Games.

The women’s football match marked the first inter-Korean contest of the Games.

South Korea, who advanced as Group F runners-up, will face Group G runners-up Uzbekistan at Nagai Stadium in Osaka on Sept. 25 for a place in the semifinals.

Meanwhile, a cheering squad organized by the National Unification Advisory Council supported the South Korean team from the stands while waving South Korean flags and Korean Peninsula flags.

The two teams played a physical match throughout their meeting at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, but this time both sides appeared focused solely on the game. Players also exchanged high-fives after the final whistle.

		0
South Korean and North Korean players exchange high-fives after their 1-1 draw in the women’s football group-stage match at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa in Fukuroi, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, on Sept. 21. /Yonhap

                                                                                                          Hwang Ui-joong