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Two Koreas draw 0-0 in first match for 12 years
South Korea (Reuters) - North and South Korea, divided for more than half a century, battled to a diplomatically goalless draw in the East Asia soccer championship on Thursday, their first encounter in 12 years.
Both sides had one solid chance each during a closely fought match played in near-tropical heat and humidity in a stadium used during the 2002 World Cup hosted by South Korea and Japan. Those two sides have qualified for next year's finals in Germany but the North failed again to make the grade. Yet on Thursday, North Korean substitute Choe Ung-chon caught the South's defence off guard in the 58th minute, forcing keeper Lee Woon-jae to punch the ball clear. In the 70th minute, popular South Korean striker Lee Dong-gook's header skimmed just over the bar. South Korea's "Red Devils" fans kept up a steady drumbeat and chants. At the other end of the stadium, fans unfurled a huge white flag showing the Korean peninsula united and in blue. Others chanted "Uri-nun hana" ("We are one"), which is also the title of a popular song about Korea's divided people. No one could be heard cheering for the North, although there was one placard
that read: "DPRK fighting". DPRK is short for the North's official name, the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea. No fans travelled to the South from the
North.
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