Asian Games 2026: North and South Korea Play Out 1-1 Draw

Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail

North Korea and South Korea played out a 1-1 draw in the women’s football competition at the Asian Games 2026 on Monday.

The closely contested Group Stage match was played in front of around 2,000 spectators at a stadium in Shizuoka, Japan.

Both Teams Score Once

North Korea took the lead in the first half when Chae Un Yong scored from close range.

South Korea responded after the break as Yun Su-jeong found the net to level the score.

Neither side could score again as the match ended 1-1.

The game was physically demanding, with 27 fouls recorded during the match. South Korea received three yellow cards, while one North Korean player was booked.

Teams Reach Quarter-Finals

The draw did not prevent either side from progressing to the knockout stage.

South Korea will face Uzbekistan in the quarter-finals, while North Korea have also secured a place in the last eight.

South Korea coach Shin Sang-woo said his young players were nervous because it was their first match against North Korea.

He also said the focus for his team was on the football match and achieving results.

North Korea coach Pak Song Jin described the fixture as a normal football match and said there was nothing unusual about facing their neighbours.

A Rare Football Meeting

The two Korean sides continue to share a complicated political relationship, with the 1950-53 Korean War ending with an armistice rather than a formal peace treaty.

After the final whistle, players from both teams exchanged brief high-fives but did not speak to each other.

The 1-1 result means both teams will now prepare for their respective quarter-final matches as the Asian Games women’s football competition moves into the knockout stage.