The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Korean Lunar New Year vs. Chinese Lunar New Year

  • 3

    Garbage collector mistakes sex doll for corpse

  • 5

    Cute canine film 'My Heart Puppy' reunites Yoo Yeon-seok, Cha Tae-hyun

  • 7

    Hybe acquires 56.1 percent stake in AI sound startup Supertone

  • 9

    US bill introduced to honor Korean War hero

  • 11

    Netflix announces password sharing crackdown in Korea

  • 13

    Retailers return to Myeong-dong as more foreign tourists visit

  • 15

    Popular travel YouTuber recalls painful memories of being bullied at school

  • 17

    Holy Moly concert series brings 4 punk bands to Haebangchon

  • 19

    IMF slashes Korea's 2023 economic growth outlook to 1.7%

  • 2

    INTERVIEWProduction company AStory expects great success with 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo' franchise

  • 4

    TWICE becomes first K-pop group to win Billboard Women in Music award

  • 6

    Free subway rides for elderly emerge as headache for Seoul mayor

  • 8

    Korea ranks 31st in international corruption perception index in 2022

  • 10

    South Korea, US to expand size and content of joint military drills

  • 12

    Korea seeks measures to better protect foreign workers

  • 14

    Samsung refuses to cut chip output despite plunging profits

  • 16

    Cyber University of Korea offers online Korean language programs for foreigners

  • 18

    4 South Korean activists arrested for executing orders from Pyongyang

  • 20

    Ex-Ssangbangwool chief said to have paid N. Korea $8 mil. in 2019 on behalf of Lee, Gyeonggi Province

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
Sports
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Thu, February 2, 2023 | 16:30
Ideological barrier melts down with skating, shooting and body checks
Posted : 2016-03-21 16:45
Updated : 2016-03-21 19:02
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Jordan Ashton, right, a 26-year-old Canadian gym teacher living in South Korea, embraces a member of the North Korean men's national team at the Pyongyang International Friendship Ice Hockey Exhibition (PIFIHE), held in Pyongyang March 7-11. / Courtesy of Paektu Cultural Exchange
Jordan Ashton, right, a 26-year-old Canadian gym teacher living in South Korea, embraces a member of the North Korean men's national team at the Pyongyang International Friendship Ice Hockey Exhibition (PIFIHE), held in Pyongyang March 7-11. / Courtesy of Paektu Cultural Exchange

By Jon Dunbar


"Few can say they were lucky enough to travel the DPRK, but how many can say they rocked up with their hockey gear?" said Jordan Ashton, a Canadian expat working in South Korea.

He'd just returned from North Korea (DPRK), where he participated in the Pyongyang International Friendship Ice Hockey Exhibition (PIFIHE), a five-day hockey exhibition with the DPRK national men's team, currently ranked 45th in the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). It was organized by Paektu Cultural Exchange (PCE), a non-profit social enterprise, and Howe International Consulting Group, a Canadian-based project management firm.

Ashton was among 20 pro and amateur players, along with eight other Canadians, seven Americans and four Europeans.

"My children were absolutely shocked when I told them where I was for a week," said Ashton, 26, who works as athletic director and gym teacher at CBIS, a Canadian school in Seoul. "I kept it quiet at school so that it would be a fun thing to discuss when I returned. They all thought it was very cool and I'm glad I could give them a new perspective on the DPRK."

He was one of two to attend the tournament from South Korea, joined by Aaron Geddes, 34, a fellow Canadian who's lived in South Korea 12 years.

"Most (South) Koreans seemed interested in what was going on and asked me what exactly was happening," said Geddes about his participation. "A few other were confused and asked me if it was dangerous, which was quite funny to me as their reasoning was that they had nuclear weapons. Obviously, they aren't going to bomb themselves and lots of other countries have nuclear weapons."

When their only goalie got sick and canceled, the internationals borrowed the DPRK team's backup. They had various hockey workshops and played four games together at Pyongyang Ice Rink in front of modest audiences, though PCE director Michael Spavor mentioned officials from the Ministry of Sport and related government organs attended the first game.

"The arena itself was quite impressive and while the showers were a little cold, the ice was the best I've skated on in Asia," said Geddes.

The week-long event started with a training session by two North Americans known for coaching a Southeast Asian national team.

In their first game at the Pyongyang Ice Rink, the internationals carried a 5-4 lead, but the Koreans tied it up in the last minute and won the game in overtime.

"The games were much longer than our normal ‘beer leagues' in Seoul," said Ashton. "A full 60 minutes of high-speed hockey can punish even the most conditioned athletes."

On the second day, the international players hit the rink in rough shape after nine hours in a tour bus visiting the DMZ, getting smoked by the Koreans 10-5.

"Even though most of our players have been playing since a young age, their team practices consistently and we were a patchwork team of players who had never practiced together," said Ashton.

In the third game, they played two 15-minute periods, tying 5-5. After that, they mingled players from both teams for a two-period friendship game with a 3-2 win for the red squad.

"The DPRK national team members and coaches were very friendly and we had a lot of interaction with them including joking around and playing jokes on each other," said Geddes.

"It was such a surreal experience to be playing with and in front of North Koreans," said Ashton. Before leaving, he exchanged his gloves for a jersey from a Korean player.

"I was nervous that we might not have brought enough good players," said Spavor. "But the Koreans were looking to get practice against diverse players, and it worked out."

Next month, the DPRK team flies to Mexico for the IIFH Division 2 World Championships.

"Usually when they go overseas it's quite serious," Spavor said. "PIFIHE was a chance to make friends with people they're normally fighting against or competing with. The Koreans you could just see them smiling ear to ear."

"I didn't feel anxiety but being shut off from the outside world for a few days didn't feel normal," said Ashton. "I felt very safe while there and PCE made that a priority, but it's always nice to get home."

For more information, visit paektuculturalexchange.org.

Emailjdunbar@ktimes.com Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
Top 10 Stories
1Garbage collector mistakes sex doll for corpse Garbage collector mistakes sex doll for corpse
2Free subway rides for elderly emerge as headache for Seoul mayor Free subway rides for elderly emerge as headache for Seoul mayor
3Korea seeks measures to better protect foreign workers Korea seeks measures to better protect foreign workers
4Retailers return to Myeong-dong as more foreign tourists visit Retailers return to Myeong-dong as more foreign tourists visit
54 South Korean activists arrested for executing orders from Pyongyang 4 South Korean activists arrested for executing orders from Pyongyang
6Samsung unveils new Galaxy S23 smartphone Samsung unveils new Galaxy S23 smartphone
7Is non-consensual sex not rape? Is non-consensual sex not rape?
8Income gap widening among workers Income gap widening among workers
9President pledges support for Korean chipmakers to overcome crisis President pledges support for Korean chipmakers to overcome crisis
10Korea's presidential couple celebrates recovery of Cambodian boy who received heart surgery Korea's presidential couple celebrates recovery of Cambodian boy who received heart surgery
Top 5 Entertainment News
1[INTERVIEW] Production company AStory expects great success with 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo' franchise INTERVIEWProduction company AStory expects great success with 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo' franchise
2TWICE becomes first K-pop group to win Billboard Women in Music award TWICE becomes first K-pop group to win Billboard Women in Music award
3Cute canine film 'My Heart Puppy' reunites Yoo Yeon-seok, Cha Tae-hyun Cute canine film 'My Heart Puppy' reunites Yoo Yeon-seok, Cha Tae-hyun
4AmorePacific Museum of Art brings Joseon-era folding screens to center stage AmorePacific Museum of Art brings Joseon-era folding screens to center stage
5$120,000 banana, praying Hitler: Infamous art world prankster Maurizio Cattelan's first Seoul outing $120,000 banana, praying Hitler: Infamous art world prankster Maurizio Cattelan's first Seoul outing
DARKROOM
  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

  • World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

    World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group