South Korean minister sees women's football match as precedent for inter-Korean ties

SEOUL, May 20 (Yonhap) -- Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said Wednesday the ministry's role in a historic match between women's football clubs from South and North Korea is to ensure the event runs smoothly and to lay a "good precedent" for inter-Korean relations.

He made the remarks at a plenary session of the foreign affairs and unification committee, as women's football clubs of the two Koreas will face off in a continental match later in the day.

South Korea's Suwon FC Women will face Naegohyang Women's FC of North Korea in the semifinals of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women's Champions League in Suwon, some 30 kilometers south of Seoul, at 7 p.m.

Chung said he would not attend the game in person, citing the AFC's position that the match should be a "purely international sports event" separated from political and diplomatic circumstances.

"To respect that spirit, the culture and sports minister will watch the mach on site while I will not attend today's game," he said.

Regarding a cheering squad consisting of South Korean civic groups, he spoke positively of the initiative, saying it would "set a good precedent in inter-Korean relations that have been effectively cut off over the past eight years."

"We need steps to build trust again," he added.

Chung also said preparations for the match had been proceeding smoothly in collaboration with relevant agencies, including police.

It will be the first match between women's football clubs of the Koreas on South Korean soil, and Naegohyang's trip across the border has generated huge interest from outside the football community as well.