Historic Korean derby in women’s semi-final sends out message of peace from China
WUHAN (CHN) - The second Korean derby in 10 days at a multi-national event marked a historic first for the International Military Sports Council (CISM). On Thursday, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) squared off against the Republic of Korea (ROK) in the women’s football semi-final at the 7th CISM Military World Games (CWG) in Wuhan, China, formalising a first in the sport at the CISM CWG.
Some 3,275 spectators, including the CISM President Herve Piccirillo, witnessed the historic face-off as DPRK beat the Republic of Korea 2-0 at the Hankou CS Stadium. Goals from the DPRK's No. 10 Kim Yun Mi and No. 20 Ri Hae Yon in the 10th and the 29th minute of the game ensured DPRK set up a face-off in the gold-medal match with hosts China, who had defeated Brazil 2-1 earlier in the day at the same venue.
The women’s military Korean derby at the 7th CISM CWG comes nine days after the two men’s national teams met in Pyongyang, DPRK, at the Asian Qualifier for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
However, unlike that men’s World Cup Qualifier fixture, which reportedly was attended by no fans from either country, with no foreign media allowed to cover it either, the CWG CISM women’s game in Wuhan saw supporters from both nations and hosts China cheer the two teams on. A number of journalists from China and abroad were also in attendance at the stadium to chronicle the historic face-off that President Piccirillo termed “symbolic”.
“This match is a great advertisement for the military fraternity, for China, for sports, and beyond,” said President Piccirillo. “It is a symbolic game; it represents the values of CISM. The result of today’s game is important, yet it is so much more than just deciding who wins or loses. Today, there’s only one winner; in this game, the winner is peace.”
This wasn’t the first time China hosted a Korean derby; among other instances, two of the DPRK’s home matches against the Republic of Korea at the 2010 men’s World Cup Qualifiers, were held in Shanghai.
As for the on-field action that led to the Korean derby at the 7th CISM CWG, much like the game itself on Thursday in which the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea kept the leash on the Republic of Korea, the showings of the two teams in their respective quarter-finals were starkly dissimilar. Within hours of the Republic of Korea making it to the semi-final on the back of a 6-1 rout of Germany in Group A on Monday, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea confirmed the first Korean derby in the sport at the CISM CWG with a 2-0 victory over Cameroon.
“The spirit of football as a game is beautiful,” said President Piccirillo. “And the spirit of CISM is also beautiful. It’s a very fair spirit, and it’s lovely to see both teams compete like true winners in this historic match between the two brother countries. There is competitiveness, yet they are respectful towards each other. So, the respect is shining [forth]. On the field, they are athletes; off the field it’s the spirit of friendship that is most important of all. That is the motto of CISM, and I’m happy that this match is taking place between the two teams at the World Military Games. The CISM’s values win today.”
(Source : CISM Media and Communication Department – Journalist and Pictures: Ms. Annesha Gosh)
