Anchor: South Korea's national women's ice hockey team beat North Korea 3-0 at the International Ice Hockey Federation(IIHF) Women's World Championship Division II match Thursday. Almost six-thousand came to the rink to witness the first-ever inter-Korean women's ice hockey match in South Korea. They cheered for both sides, hoping to see the North Korean team again at the upcoming PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games in the South.
Our Park Jong-hong has this report.
 
Report: 
 
[Sound bite: International Ice Hockey Federation Women's World Championship S. North vs N. Korea / Apr. 6]
 
As South Korean defenseman Park Ye-eun opened the scoring with a wrist shot in the first period, many South Korean spectators turned around to encourage the North Korean team. 
 
[Sound bite: South Korean spectator Hwang Ae-kyung (Korean)]
"I find it quite significant that the two Koreas came together in the name of sports. I am cheering both teams.”
 
A crowd of some five-thousand-800 people filled the rink to witness the first women's hockey game between the two Koreas on the divided peninsula. 
 
Many of them cheered for both teams with balloon noisemakers and flags.
 
As forward Jo Su-sie and Lee Eun-ji added two more goals, the host team defeated the visitors 3-0. 
 
South Korean team captain Lee Kyu-sun told reporters that the hockey players wanted to work as a bridge to bring the two Koreas closer together.
 
[Sound bite: Lee Kyu-sun - Captain, South Korean Women’s National Hockey Team (Korean)]
"I felt great just by the fact that the same Koreans met in the South and shared this sports exchange."
 
After a photo session with South Korean players, the North Koreans left the rink without responding to reporters.
 
The organizing committee for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics is hopeful that North Korea will take part next year.
 
On Saturday, South Korea will face the Netherlands who are currently trailing the South in goal difference.
 
The winner of Saturday’s game will become the Division II Group A champion and secure a promotion to Division I Group B next year.
Park Jong-hong, KBS World Radio News.
 

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