“Long Time No See, Hiddink”

The North Korean national football team is coming to Seoul in 12 years.

The North Korean football team is coming to Seoul through the Incheon Airport on the 5th to participate the South North Reunification Football Game at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 7th. The North Korean team’s Seoul visit is in 12 years after the second match of the South North Reunification Football held in the Olympic Main Stadium on October 23, 1990.

The North Korean delegation consisted of 49 people including 21 players will arrive at Seoul through the Incheon Airport at 4pm on the 5th, and unpack at the Shilla Hotel. The North Korean team will visit the Paju National Team Training Center in the morning on the 6th, move to the Seoul World Cup Stadium, and practice there from 3:30pm to 5:00pm.

The South North Reunification Football Game will be held at 7pm on the 7th, and the North Korean team will visit the Gyeongbok Palace in the morning of the 8th and leave for Pyeongyang through the Inchon Airport at 5pm.

The visiting North Korean team is consisted mostly with players younger than 23 years of age, and the team is known for excellent physical strength. This team was reorganized on September 2000, and participated on practice matches in Cyprus and the King’s Cup Football Tournament, and worked to perfection.

Meantime, the former manager of the Korean National Team Guus Hiddink (manager of the PSV Einthoven in the Netherlands), who is the great commander of the World Cup quarterfinal mythology, is planning to come to Korea on the 4th and visit the South North Reunification Football Game and honor the game.

stt77@donga.com