North Korean women's football club to make rare visit to South Korea for match

North Korean football club Naegohyang Women’s FC will play a ​match against South Korea's Suwon FC Women

North Korean football club Naegohyang Women’s FC will play a ​match against South Korea's Suwon FC Women on May 20, ‌South Korea's Unification Ministry said on Monday, marking the first visit by North Korean athletes to the South in eight years.

North Korea had sent a list of 27 players ​and 12 staff who will travel to South Korea for the ​semi-final of the Asian Women's Champions League, the ministry said in a statement.

The ⁠rare visit comes as South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has been ​seeking to improve strained ties with North Korea.

The last time Pyongyang sent ​athletes to South Korea was in 2018, when it participated in various competitions and sent athletes to the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, forming a unified ice hockey team with South ​Korea for the first time.

Ties have in recent years deteriorated, with ​North Korea labelling South Korea its "most hostile state" and saying it would no longer seek ‌reunification.

South Korea's ⁠government will play a minimal role in this month's match since it is an international club event, rather than an inter-Korean one, a Unification Ministry official told reporters. Seoul authorities will, however, provide necessary support for ​athletes during their ​visit, the official ⁠said.

The North Korean delegation from Naegohyang Women’s FC will arrive in South Korea on May 17, according to ​the ministry.

Two semi-final matches are scheduled in Suwon for ​May 20, ⁠with the match between the North Korean club and Suwon due to start at 7 p.m. (1000 GMT).

The winner will face Melbourne City or Tokyo Verdy ⁠in ​the final, also to be played in ​Suwon, on May 23.

If North Korea loses in the semi-final, the athletes will return home the ​next day, according to the ministry.