A pro-North Korean newspaper has expressed hopes for improved inter-Korean relations, citing sports events involving the two Koreas. 

Japan-based Choson Sinbo published an article Friday titled "Auspicious Signals," which spotlighted an inter-Korean cheering squad rooting for North Korea at the International Ice Hockey Federation(IIHF) Women's World Championship.

It said a "unification fever was flaring up" in the South Korean city of Gangneung where the tournament is under way.

The paper also highlighted preliminaries for next year's AFC (Asian Football Confederation) Women's Asian Cup taking place in Pyongyang, and noted how South Korean athletes who arrived in the North Korean capital for the preliminary round are receiving a heartfelt welcome from local citizens.

The paper went on to say that Korea is one and a unified era will, by all means, come one day.

Earlier this week, the newspaper mentioned China's retaliation against South Korea's THAAD missile defense deployment, saying the only way for the South's survival is improved cross-border relations and joint prosperity with the North.

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