Lee congratulates North Korean team for winning top Asian women's football title

President Lee Jae Myung congratulated North Korea's Naegohyang Women's FC on Saturday for winning the top Asian women's football title on South Korean soil.

In a message on social media platform X, Lee wrote that he “sincerely congratulates” the players, who defeated Tokyo Verdy Beleza 1-0 in the final of the AFC Women's Champions League at Suwon Stadium in Suwon, Gyeonggi, earlier in the day.

“The high-class matches played at the Champions League clearly showed the remarkable development and ability of Asian women's football to the world,” he wrote.

“I hope this contest, beyond victory or defeat, was a meaningful occasion to promote a leap for Asian sports and reflect on the values of sports, known to symbolize peace and harmony.”

Lee also wrote that the North Korean players' “fighting spirit,” displayed in a previous rain-soaked match, will be remembered for a long time.

To the South Korean cheering squad that supported both the South Korean and North Korean teams, he expressed his “deep respect” for their “sophisticated cheering culture.”

“Just as the ball is round, we will inevitably meet again,” he wrote. “I will wholeheartedly root for the players' next challenge!”

Yonhap