after the first North Korean sports team to visit the South in eight years won the continental championship on Saturday, reaffirming their readiness to compete at the highest global levels.

The Naegohyang Women’s Team defeated Japan’s Tokyo Verdy Beleza 1–0 in the final held in the South Korean city of Suwon, thanks to a goal from captain Kim Kyong-yong one minute before the end of the first half.

With this victory, Naegohyang will participate in next year’s Women’s Club World Cup, which brings together the champions of the six continental confederations, with the final four matches scheduled to be held in Miami.

Women’s football is considered one of the strongest international sports in diplomatically isolated and economically poor North Korea, where its national teams regularly compete at the highest levels in Asia and globally.

Naegohyang coach Ri Yu-il thanked North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for his “love, care, and trust” before looking ahead to facing the world’s best clubs. He said: “Today, as we stand at a historic moment, advancing to the global stage as the best team in Asia, the emotions we feel are indescribable.” He added: “The trophy ceremony is over, and now we face many new challenges.”

Ri and Kim—who was named the tournament’s best player—left the press conference after a South Korean journalist addressed them using the term “the northern side,” while the country’s official name is the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

After winning the final, Naegohyang players raised the North Korean flag—an act considered taboo in South Korea under the National Security Act.

The Naegohyang team, founded in 2012 and whose name means “My Hometown” in Korean, has attracted significant attention since arriving in the South last week. The team defeated Suwon FC Women 2–1 in the semifinal, also held in Suwon.

Around 1,200 spectators, mostly members of civil society organizations and supported by the South Korean Ministry of Unification, attended the final.

Ri said: “All the players focused on winning today’s match, gave everything they had, and enjoyed every minute and second.” He added: “I didn’t have the time or space to concern myself with anything else.”

For her part, Kim—the match-winner—said: “Despite our players’ lack of experience in top-level matches, we have improved significantly as a team.” She added: “Through this match, we will work to overcome our weaknesses, and we will undoubtedly achieve remarkable results in major global competitions in the future.”

Cheong Wook-sik, director of the South Korean NGO Peace Network, told AFP before the match that Naegohyang’s visit was “deeply moving for many of us.”

He added: “We have always been the closest neighbors, yet also the most hostile toward each other. I hope these football events help change that reality, even if it seems overly idealistic.”

North Korean spectator Choe Hyo-kwan, 94 years old, attended the match and said: “I heard they were playing against Japan today, so I came to cheer for them.” He added: “Above all, I wish everyone good health, safety from injuries, and victory.”

North Korea’s women’s national team is ranked 11th in the FIFA world rankings, far ahead of the men’s team, which sits at 118th.