A youth football team from North Korea plans to travel to South Korea for an international tournament. The delegation includes players and officials who will participate in the event scheduled for late May. The Ari Sports Cup organisers confirmed the arrangements in a statement to the South Korean news agency Yonhap. This marks the first time a North Korean side has visited the South for a sporting competition since 2018.
The tournament will take place in the Gangwon province, according to Reuters. Officials from the South Korean Ministry of Unification stated they are processing the necessary permits for the cross-border travel. Security measures for the visiting delegation will remain high throughout the stay. The event aims to foster athletic communication despite ongoing regional tensions. While North Korean athletes previously competed in the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, footballing exchanges have remained infrequent. Both nations agreed to the specific travel route via the land border, per The Guardian.
