hankyoreh

a change from the past.

By Kim Bong-gyu, staff photographer

At the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou

The North Korean women’s soccer team has changed in the eight years since they have been to Seoul.

The North and South Korean football teams faced off on July 21 as part of the 2013 EAFF East Asian Cup, with North Korea winning 2-1 over the South.

From the time the North Korean players started warming up, the mood in the team was different from the past. The expressions on their faces were not stiff or blank, and they even waved at the fans in the crowd while they were practicing their shots.

The freedom the players were enjoying was also visible in the brand names on their cleats. They were not all wearing the same brand, but they had on different kinds of shoes: Asics, Mizuno, Puma, Nike, and Adidas. This shows that athletes are being allowed to express their personal preferences.

The uniforms are provided by Legea, the Italian sports apparel firm that has been sponsoring the North Korean football team since the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

It was evident that the North Korean athletes were making an effort to play carefully and avoid any collisions with the South Korean players.

There was also a touching scene in the second period. When Ji So-yeon, a player on the South Korean team, had a cramp and was in pain, North Korean players came running over and massaged her foot to relieve the cramp.

The North Korean team behaved differently after the game was over as well. They ran over to the “Red Devil” section, a South Korean team supporters group, under the display board in the middle of the stands and bowed low in greeting.

After that, they crossed the ground and ran over to the other side. There weren’t many people in the crowd, but the players greeted them all respectfully.

Following games in the past, the North Korean team would leave the field immediately after bowing to the center of the stands. But on July 21, the North Korean players ran around to various locations on the field.

It was unusual to see them look so relaxed and cheerful as they enjoyed the post-game thrill with the coaching staff.

The smiles seen on the faces of the North Korean players before the game began were still there after the match had ended.

Is it possible that icy inter-Korean relations might start to thaw as well?

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]