'Bizarre sight': North Korean flag waved as team circled the stadium; applause erupted from all corners of the stands [Suwon on-site]

*This content was translated by AI.

The North Korean flag was unfurled at Suwon Sports Complex once again. This time, it went beyond a victory ceremony; the players collectively carried the North Korean flag and circled the entire stadium. It was already unusual to see the North Korean flag displayed in South Korea, but seeing players carry it while circling the field was even more unfamiliar. In fact, warm applause and cheers poured from all corners of the stands toward the team carrying the North Korean flag around the stadium. It was a continuous series of 'bizarre' scenes.

The controversial scene occurred immediately after the 2025-2026 AFC Women's Champions League (AWCL) final between North Korea's Naegokhwa Women's Football Club and Tokyo Verdy Beleza (Japan) at Suwon Sports Complex on the 23rd. On this day, Naegokhwa held on to Kim Gyeong-yeong's first and only goal, scored in the 44th minute of the first half, to defeat Tokyo Verdy and claim the championship.

Naegokhwa, which had suffered a heavy 0-4 defeat in the group stage in Myanmar last November, displayed sharp focus throughout the match to defeat Tokyo. One major difference from the previous encounter was the 'support.' On this day, Naegokhwa received one-sided support from a joint support group formed by domestic civic organizations. According to football officials, as many as 1,800 people visited the away supporters' section that day. Although called a 'joint support group,' it was effectively a Naegokhwa support group, following the semi-final match against Suwon FC Women where they received similar one-sided support. In this final, the one-sided support for Naegokhwa was even more pronounced.

Indeed, relentless support unfolded. Cheerleaders hired by the joint support group joined in. Whenever Naegokhwa advanced past the halfway line to launch attacks, the stadium was filled with passionate cheers. The stands were packed with items bearing the Naegokhwa club emblem or support slogans, and chants adapted from South Korea's national team slogans and anthems never ceased.

Ultimately, the match concluded with a 1-0 victory for Naegokhwa and their championship title. The prize money was $1 million (approximately 1.52 billion won). As the final whistle blew, Naegokhwa players embraced each other in celebration, and head coach Lee Yu-il collapsed onto the field in tears. Coach Lee was then hoisted up by the players in a traditional Korean cheer.

Later, the North Korean flag was unfurled again near the Naegokhwa bench. Following their semi-final victory against Suwon FC Women, where they had also carried the North Korean flag to perform a victory ceremony, the Naegokhwa players carried a pre-prepared North Korean flag this time to conduct a 'championship ceremony.' They did not merely pose for photos. The players began circling the field with the North Korean flag in hand, first turning toward the supporters who had cheered for them throughout the semi-finals and final, before completing the lap.

The sight of players circling the field with the North Korean flag was already shocking enough, but the applause and cheers directed at the Naegokhwa team carrying the flag were even more bizarre. Standing ovations came not only from the joint support group but also from various sections of the general stands. In a situation where Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission, has designated inter-Korean relations as 'hostile state-to-state relations,' the Naegokhwa football team received enthusiastic support in South Korea, and even more so, warm applause erupted as they carried the North Korean flag around the stadium.

Nor did head coach Lee Yu-il or the team convey any message of gratitude to the support group. In the post-match press conference, Coach Lee stated, "We came here (to Korea) at the invitation of the AFC. Both I and the players prioritized the match and worked hard, minute by minute, to achieve our desired results. We focused solely on football, the championship, and our development. There was no reason to concern ourselves with other issues." He did not separately express thanks to the support group.

Instead, Coach Lee became visibly upset by the domestic media's use of the term 'North side,' unilaterally halted the press conference, and even walked out of the press room. The North Korea team, passing through the mixed zone after the match, boarded the bus after rejecting all interview requests from domestic reporters. Waiting at the exit to see the Naegokhwa team bus leave the stadium were yet another group of people, holding banners featuring both the South Korean and North Korean flags, offering warm applause and cheers.

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*This content was translated by AI.