Football match for reunification takes place in Seoul

national | miscellaneous | news report Tuesday September 10, 2002 02:31 by KCNA via Demonic - Demonic is a member of the Korean Friendship Association

The 2002 north-south football match for reunification took place here on Saturday evening amidst the keen interest of all the Koreans. The stadium was packed to its capacity with south Koreans from all walks of life who came to see the match between north and south football players at a time when the 70 million Koreans' desire for reunification is growing stronger than ever before in the 21st century.

Seoul, September 7 (KCNA correspondent) -- The 2002 north-south football match for reunification took place here on Saturday evening amidst the keen interest of all the Koreans. The stadium was packed to its capacity with south Koreans from all walks of life who came to see the match between north and south football players at a time when the 70 million Koreans' desire for reunification is growing stronger than ever before in the 21st century.
Seen here and there in the stadium were such slogans as "Let us become one and startle the world" and "We are one regardless of which side wins".
Prior to the match, Pak Kun Hye, representative of the "Union for the Future of Korea," made a speech which was followed by speeches by Ri Kwang Gun, chairman of the north side's football association who led its delegation, and Jong Mong Jun, chairman of the south side's football association.
The spectators warmly welcomed the players of both sides entering the stadium amidst the playing of the song Arirang, holding a large Korean Peninsula flag in their van.
The match began with a kick-off by the northern team.
It ended in 0-0 tie.
The players walked round the stadium, holding the flag together amidst the playing of the same song and acknowledging the spectators' enthusiastic cheers.
The football match marked an important occasion of deepening reconciliation and confidence among sportspersons in the north and the south, promoting the unity and reunification of the nation and demonstrating the nation's unshakable will to build a reunified powerful country at an early date under the banner of the June 15 joint declaration.