6 yıl önce

North and South Korea workers come together for football

Inter-Korean construction workers' game in Seoul is seen as a way to improve cooperation between the two countries.

AFP

Players from South Korea (R) and North Korea (L) pose for a photo session before the inter-Korean workers' football match in Seoul on August 11, 2018.

Football matches on Saturday between workers from North and South Korea have brought the two countries closer together.

All civilian communication between the two countries – which remain technically at war after the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice instead of a peace treaty – is banned unless approved by the governments.

Sporting cooperation helped spark the current diplomatic thaw, after the North sent a high-level delegation, athletes, cheerleaders and performers to this year's Winter Olympics in the South.

"Seoul's city government won't stop its efforts. Let's work towards peace together," said Park Won-soon, mayor of Seoul.

This is only the fourth time these teams have met on the sporting field in almost two decades.

While there's rivalry on the pitch, recent sports exchanges like this are seen as a way to improve cooperation between the two countries.

TRT World's Oliver Whitfield-Miocic reports Seoul.