Joint North-South Korea women's ice hockey team loses friendly match

North and South Korea agreed last month to field a combined women's ice hockey team and march together under one flag in Pyeongchang after a new round of talks amid a thaw in cross-border relations.

With some 3,000 fans packed into Seonhak International Ice Rink in Incheon, the Koreans (in Blue), who have only practiced together for a week, lost 3-1 to Sweden (in Yellow).
Reuters

With some 3,000 fans packed into Seonhak International Ice Rink in Incheon, the Koreans (in Blue), who have only practiced together for a week, lost 3-1 to Sweden (in Yellow).

South Korean fans chanting, "We are one" and wearing shirts with the unification flag emblazoned on the front packed into a freezing ice hockey arena on Sunday to cheer on the joint Korean women's team in a tune-up for this month's Winter Olympics.

North and South Korea agreed last month to field a combined women's ice hockey team and march together under one flag in Pyeongchang after a new round of talks amid a thaw in cross-border relations.

With some 3,000 fans packed into Seonhak International Ice Rink in Incheon, the Koreans, who have only practiced together for a week, lost 3-1 to Sweden.

While the reaction to the North's decision to participate in the Winter Games was met warmly in the South, the decision to form a combined women’s ice hockey team sparked a public backlash.

TRT World's Arabella Munro reports. 

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Top North Korean official to visit South

North Korea's ceremonial leader Kim Yong Nam will visit South Koreathis week as the head of the country's high-level delegation for the Winter Olympics, Seoul's Unification Ministry said on Sunday.

Kim, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, will lead a 22-strong delegation expected to arrive in South Korea on Friday for a three-day trip, the ministry said in a statement.

The Games are scheduled to kick off on Friday and run through February 25, during which Seoul hopes to hold high-level inter-Korean talks.

Kim is North Korea's nominal head of state, while the country is ruled by Kim Jong Un, the third-generation hereditary leader.

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