North Korean leader Kim Jong-un met with and congratulated the Naegohyang women's football team and the U17 national women's team earlier this week, state media reported on 3/6. The meeting occurred before a friendly match between the two teams, where Kim encouraged the players to continue striving for excellence and wished them future victories.

During the encounter, Kim Jong-un hugged the female players and posed for commemorative photos. Images released by state media showed the athletes visibly emotional, bursting into tears and jumping with joy upon meeting their leader.

North Korean women players burst into tears and jumped with joy upon meeting leader Kim Jong-un on 1/6. Video: APT

The event saw the attendance of numerous citizens and dozens of officials, who cheered enthusiastically and waved small flags.

The Naegohyang club recently made history by defeating Japan's Tokyo Verdy Beleza 1-0 in the final match held in Suwon, South Korea, on 23/5. This victory marked them as the first North Korean team to win the Asian women's championship.

Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the Workers' Party of Korea, lauded the players as "proud daughters of the homeland, who once again strongly demonstrated the spirit and courage of the North Korean people with consecutive victories in the semifinals and final".

Naegohyang was reportedly awarded a prize of 1 million USD for their championship title. However, it remains unclear whether the club will actually receive this sum due to United Nations (UN) sanctions related to Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program.

Kim Jong-un and players from the Naegohyang women's football club. Photo: KCNA

The team's participation in South Korea marked the first time North Korean football players had visited the neighboring country since the Incheon Asian Games in 2014.

However, Naegohyang's tour was not without its challenges. Coach Ri Yu-il walked out of a post-match press conference after a reporter referred to the team as "the North Korean team". Furthermore, North Korean state media reports did not mention that the matches were held in South Korea.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, who has recently extended several conciliatory gestures to improve inter-Korean relations, sent his sincere congratulations to Naegohyang following their victory. "More than wins or losses, I hope this tournament became a meaningful occasion to promote the development of Asian sports and remind us of sports' values, a symbol of peace and harmony," Lee stated.

Huyen Le (According to Korea Joongang Daily, SCMP)