Tomorrow, the world’s most dangerous and tense football match will take place, and it can surely be named the ‘Game of the Century”.
The World Cup Qualifiers match between South Korea and North Korea will take place in Pyongyang for the first time in 29 years, attracting worldwide attention, not just from football fans.
Despite struggles and controversies surrounding the match, such as the difficulty of providing a live broadcast from North Korea, it will be held as scheduled. A huge number of spectators, mostly North Koreans, will crowd the 50,000-seat Kim Il-sung Stadium and witness the historic match. Surprisingly, it is not South Korea’s first encounter on North Korean soil. The women’s team traveled to Pyongyang to play their WCQ games only two years ago. Despite the precedent, any time teams from both countries meet, it is considered a special occasion as there is a lot of history underlying the clash between these two nations.
Before the Korean War: Kyungsung (Seoul) - Pyongyang Rivalry
Korea was not always divided into two nations. When the Japanese Empire colonized the whole Korean Peninsula during the first half of the 20th century, people were still able to travel freely. The Koreans tried to deal with their sorrows while being suppressed by the Japanese, and united through music, dance, and football among other sports.
Back in the early 1900s, club football in Korea was still undeveloped . Universities across the country served as the representatives of their city. Eventually, some schools evolved into football clubs named after their city. Some examples include Kyungsung FC, (Seoul’s former name was Kyungsung), whose members came from Yonsei University, Korea University; and Kyungsin High School OB. In the north, Pyongyang FC was founded by members of Soongsil University. The match between these two teams was was nicknamed the ‘Kyungsung-Pyongyang Rivalry”.
The match was founded in 1929 by Chosun Ilbo, one of the most widely read newspapers in Korea to this day. The inaugural series of games was held in Whimoon High School ground on 8.10 - 10.10 of that year. It is said that about 7,000 spectators gathered up to cheer for their team, and the clash ended with Pyongyang FC’s victory, tallying two wins and one draw (1-1, 4-3, 4-2). The competition was sporadically played over the next 15 years until it was forcefully shut down by the Japanese Empire, who banned Koreans from all sport-related activities in 1942. The Japanese were worried that the Koreans were bonding too much through their mutual love for the sport.
In 1946, one year after the being liberated from Japan, football was back, but this time the atmosphere was different. Dongdaemun Stadium in Seoul was the venue. Pyongyang won 3-1 in the second leg and won the series. Perhaps the crowd got over-excited for finally experiencing another football match, or perhaps it was due to the rising tension between the North and South, but it was reported that police had to calm the rioting fans by using extreme measures such as shooting blank ammunition. Unfortunately, since the conflict between North and South escalated, the North Korean squad had to travel by ferry on the way back.
Kyungsung (Seoul) and Pyongyang were the two most influential cities of Korea, which means people living on each side took particular pride of their home turf. The epic rivalry made every match between the two teams resemble a clash of two national squads. The political and cultural tensions made the derby between the two sides the most significant fixture of those days. The 1946 encounter was the very last Kyungsung-Pyongyang derby. Some experts say that a potential revival of the derby is vital for reviving the sporting relationship between the north and the south.
Attempts to Regain Peace
The Korean War that took place from 1950 to 1953 destroyed the whole nation, as the peninsula was divided in two: The North governed by Communists and the South by Capitalists. Due to the tension, there were no football-related activities, except when the nations met in official tournaments such as the Asian Games, Asian Cup and the World Cup qualification round. These fixtures were played on neutral grounds. Visiting the neighbouring soil for a football match was an unthinkable scenario. But in October 1990 it finally happened.
Political efforts to strengthen the relationship led to the proposal of a friendly match series between the two sides. First, South Korea was scheduled to travel to Pyongyang on October 11th, 1990, while the North would return the favour on the 23rd.
The first friendly match was held in the Rungrado May 1st Stadium in Pyongyang, which can hold up to 150,000 spectators. To this day, it is the biggest stadium in the world. Players held each other tightly in one hand, flowers in the other, and entered the field while the crowd cheered. South Korea grabbed a lead 25 minutes into the game when Kim Joo-sung scored a free-kick, but North Korea managed to overcome with a free-kick of their own scored by Yun Jong-su, and turned things around with a last-minute penalty scored by Tak Yong-bin.
The second leg, held in the Seoul Olympic Stadium, ended with South Korea’s 1-0 victory. By then, it was more than just a football game; It was a step towards peace. Lee Hoe-taik, a staff member of the South Korea national team, found his father who went missing during the Korean War in North Korea. The family reunited after 45 years.
Decline, and Uphill
Since then, the South invited the North several times to play friendlies in Seoul, but there was no chance to visit Pyongyang again. As time passed, the relationship between the two worsened, and the likelihood of recreating the 1990 event decreased.
During the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, both teams were drawn in the same group. The media was busy talking about the possibility of Pyongyang hosting one of the matches, but it remained a dream as North Korea refused to play the South Korean national anthem nor hang their flag on their land. Instead, the match took place in Hongkou Soccer Stadium in Shanghai, China, resulting in a 1-1 draw. On the other hand, the game in Seoul proceeded as scheduled, with South Korea winning 1-0.
In 2017, a South Korean national team finally made it to Pyongyang. This time, it was the women’s national team, trying to qualify for the World Cup. Unlike men's football, North Korea has one of the best women’s national team in the AFC, and with 42,500 North Korean spectators in the stadium, it was going to be a tough day. Midfielder Lee Min-a referred to the match as "a war". It was a very aggressive match, both physically and mentally. Players argued and swore at each other constantly. It ended in a 1-1 draw, a result that advanced South Korea to the next round and eliminated North Korea from the tournament.
It was a unique experience for managers too. Yoon Deok-yeo, the manager of South Korean women’s team, and Kim Kwang-min, North Korea's manager, both participated in the infamous 1990 friendly match as players. “It is important to be prepared on your own, and not get overwhelmed by one-sided support”, Yoon said after the game.
Back to the Present
On Tuesday, the two countries will meet again in a men's football match. As usual, it's the World Cup qualifiers that brings the sides together, this time in Pyongyang. Although this historic match is gaining worldwide attention, it is unlikely that fans south of the border or around the globe will be able to watch it via live broadcast. According to reports, North Korea asked for $1.5m in broadcasting fees, which cannot be afforded by broadcasters in South Korea.
Additionally, North Korea did not issue entry visas to supporters, media, or journalists. It means that South Korea will not have any support on the pitch. No live reporting is allowed from Kim Il-sung Stadium. Only live updates from FIFA and AFC will provide a window to the game and keep fans informed. To make things even more bizarre, South Korea is scheduled to travel first to China and then take a flight to Pyongyang, instead of going directly through the border as North Korea would not allow it. The South Korean team will only stay in Pyongyang for two days due to the tight schedule.
North Korea’s unique characteristic is also a concern. It was reported that the South's women team have already experienced wire-tapping in their hotel room. Members of the men's team will also need to be aware of what they say and their surroundings.
Paulo Bento, the South Korean team manager,as well as many fans regard it as a standard WCQ game, avoiding the additional political and social implications.Politics aside, it is essential to focus on football itself: Having a fair match, treating each other with respect and staying healthy are the main aspects that should be highlighted.
Tuesday, October 15, 08:30 (GMT). The countdown starts, now it is time to get pumped.