North and South Korea Face Off for the First Time at Asian Games on 24th... Compete in Boxing and Judo

The first match between South Korea and North Korea at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games will take place on the 24th.

In women's boxing 54kg category, Lim Ae-ji (Hwasun County Office) will face North Korea's Bang Cheol-mi in her first match on the afternoon of the 24th at the Hangzhou Gymnasium. Bang Cheol-mi is a symbolic athlete who will serve as North Korea's flag bearer at the opening ceremony of this tournament. In the same venue, in the women's boxing 60kg category, Oh Yeon-ji (Ulsan City Sports Council) will compete against North Korea's Won Eun-kyung in the first round.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The first South-North confrontation of the tournament may also take place in the morning of that day. In men's judo 66kg category, An Ba-ul (Namyangju City Office) advances to the second round by walkover, and if North Korea's Ri Geum-seong defeats Iran's Abolfazl Mahmoudi, the two will compete in the round of 16.

On the same day, in women's judo 48kg category, Lee Hye-kyung (Gwangju Urban Railway Corporation) may face North Korea's Jeon Su-seong; in women's 52kg category, Jeong Ye-rin (Incheon City Office) may meet North Korea's Kim Won-geum; and in men's 60kg category, Lee Ha-rim (Korea Racing Authority) may compete against North Korea's Chae Gwang-jin in the semifinals.

There are also confirmed judo matchups. On the 25th, in women's judo 70kg category, Han Hee-joo (KH Philux) will face North Korea's Moon Seong-hee, born in 2002, in the first round. On the same day, in men's 73kg category, Kang Heon-cheol (Yongin City Office) will meet North Korea's Kim Cheol-gwang in the round of 16 if Kim defeats his first-round opponent Karim Abdullaev (United Arab Emirates).

At 6:30 PM on the 29th, the women's basketball national team will face North Korea in Group C of the group stage.

Additionally, South and North Korea will compete in archery, men's and women's soccer, shooting, women's volleyball, weightlifting, and more. North Korea initially planned to send a delegation of 191 athletes, but as of the 23rd, the number has decreased to 185.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.