On May 17, 2026, the women's team Naegohyang Women's FC landed at Incheon International Airport, marking the first visit of a North Korean sports team to the South in eight years. With 39 people including players and staff, dressed in identical dark jackets and skirts and pink suitcases, they were greeted by South Korean reporters and fans with welcome banners. They will participate in the semifinals of the AFC Women's Champions League.
The logistics of a trip that breaks the technological ice 🌐
The arrival required coordination between the football federations of both countries and the AFC. Air security protocols included specific flight routes over the Yellow Sea, avoiding restricted airspace. Hand luggage was inspected with state-of-the-art scanners at Incheon, and the mobile devices of North Korean staff were subjected to a data filter to prevent information leaks. The live broadcast of the event used 5G networks with satellite redundancy.
Pink suitcases and dark jackets: the uniform that doesn't go unnoticed 🧳
The pink suitcases contrasted with the seriousness of the team's dark jackets and skirts. Some South Koreans joked on social media saying they looked like a travel agency with a very strict dress code. Others suggested that the suitcases were the only colorful thing in a country where women's football is often grayer than the clouds of Seoul. At least they weren't wearing straw hats.