North Korean leader Kim Jong-un meets and encourages players and coaches after an exhibition match between North Korea's national team, winner of the 2026 AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup, and Naegohyang Women's FC, winner of the 2025-26 AFC Women's Champions League, at an event marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party's Central Cadres Training School on June 1, as reported by the North's Rodong Sinmun the following day.NEWS1
North Korea's Naegohyang Women's FC players remained stone-faced during their visit to South Korea. But back home, the footballers were visibly emotional when they met their leader, Kim Jong-un, as the players burst into tears of joy.
Kim watched a friendly match between its U-17 women's football team and the Naegohyang football team on Monday, according to Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea's state news agency.
Kim met and congratulated the players and coaches of the Naegohyang team and the U-17 national team before the match, which won the Asian Cup, encouraging them and wishing them many more titles in future competitions.
Naegohyang visited South Korea for a match against Suwon FC Women, beating the South Korean team to advance to the AFC Women's Champions League finals. The team went on to beat Japan's Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza and took home the trophy.
Before the match, Kim warmly “took the trustworthy women players, proud daughters of the motherland, into his arms” and took photos with them, according to the KCNA.
North Korean leader watches a friendly game between the Naegohyang Women's FC against the North Korean U-17 national team at an event marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party's Central Cadres Training School on June 1, as reported by North's Rodong Sinmun the following day.NEWS1
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un meets and encourages players and coaches after an exhibition match between North Korea's national team, winner of the 2026 AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup, and Naegohyang Women's FC, winner of the 2025-26 AFC Women's Champions League, at an event marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party's Central Cadres Training School on June 1, as reported by North's Rodong Sinmun the following day.NEWS1
North Korea's Naegohyang Women's FC players play in a friendly match against the North Korean U-17 national team at an event marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party's Central Cadres Training School on June 1, as reported by North's Rodong Sinmun the following day.NEWS1
![North Korean leader Kim Jong-un meets and encourages players and coaches after an exhibition match between North Korea's national team, winner of the 2026 AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup, and Naegohyang Women's FC, winner of the 2025-26 AFC Women's Champions League, at an event marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party's Central Cadres Training School on June 1, as reported by the North's Rodong Sinmun the following day. [NEWS1]](https://image.koreajoongangdaily.com/12553480.webp?imageId=12553480&width=960&height=636&format=jpg)
![North Korean leader watches a friendly game between the Naegohyang Women's FC against the North Korean U-17 national team at an event marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party's Central Cadres Training School on June 1, as reported by North's Rodong Sinmun the following day. [NEWS1]](https://image.koreajoongangdaily.com/12553720.webp?imageId=12553720&width=960&height=638&format=jpg)
![North Korean leader Kim Jong-un meets and encourages players and coaches after an exhibition match between North Korea's national team, winner of the 2026 AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup, and Naegohyang Women's FC, winner of the 2025-26 AFC Women's Champions League, at an event marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party's Central Cadres Training School on June 1, as reported by North's Rodong Sinmun the following day. [NEWS1]](https://image.koreajoongangdaily.com/12553948.webp?imageId=12553948&width=960&height=638&format=jpg)
![North Korea's Naegohyang Women's FC players play in a friendly match against the North Korean U-17 national team at an event marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party's Central Cadres Training School on June 1, as reported by North's Rodong Sinmun the following day. [NEWS1]](https://image.koreajoongangdaily.com/12554208.webp?imageId=12554208&width=960&height=638&format=jpg)
