North Korea Women's Football Coach on Potential Inter-Korean Final: "Just Do Our Best in Football"

Following North Korea's 2-0 victory over China to secure a spot in the final of the women's football tournament at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, head coach Park Sung-jin cautioned against political interpretations regarding the possibility of an inter-Korean final showdown, stating today (September 29) that "we just need to do our best in football."

During the post-match press conference held at Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa in Fukuroi, Shizuoka Prefecture, Coach Park made the remarks when asked how he would prepare if they face South Korea again, responding, "There is nothing different. Since we are also aiming for the championship, we will study the opposing team, leverage our strengths, and develop our players with the mindset of giving our absolute best."

Earlier in the tournament, the women's national teams of South Korea and North Korea were placed in Group F and faced each other in their third group-stage match.

At that time, neither side could break the deadlock after a fiercely contested battle, ending in a 1-1 draw.

If South Korea defeats Japan in their semifinal match held at the same stadium immediately following the North Korea-China semifinal, they could face North Korea once again in the final.

When asked which team, South Korea or Japan, would be more favorable to play against, Coach Park added, "It's hard to predict. Whichever team advances, we will do our best."

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.