Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
NK's female footballers to visit South Korea
By Jung Min-ho
South Korea has approved the entry of the North Korean female football team to play in the East Asian Cup tournament to be held in Seoul from July 20 to 28, government officials said Friday.
This came after North Korea’s football body told the Korea Football Association, June 27, that it would send the team to the event.
The North Korean players will arrive in Seoul on July 18.
This is its first participation in the competition since the one held in China five years ago; and will also mark its first trip to South Korea since the 2005 East Asian Cup.
The last time any North Korean sports team played here was April 1 in 2009 when the two Koreas had an Asian qualifying match for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Organized by the East Asian Football Federation, the forthcoming competition will have men’s and women’s events. China, Japan as well as the two Koreas will participate in the female games.
The game between South and North Korea will be held on July 12 at Seoul World Cup Stadium.
The North Korean female team will leave on July 28, a day after the event’s final.
For the men’s event, South Korea, Australia, China and Japan will compete for the trophy. North Korea failed to qualify for the men’s competition.
This will be the fourth East Asian Cup for the women and the fifth for the men. South Korea has won two titles in the men’s event and one in the women’s.
Japan is the favorite in the latest women’s FIFA rankings in third place; followed by North Korea in ninth; South Korea, 16th; and China, 17th.