sports
Low attendance at women's soccer matches reflects South Korean views on North Korea
Attendance at two matches between South Korean and North Korean women's club teams was low. A survey by the Korean Institute of National Unification showed declining support for unification among South Korean respondents.
May 28, 11:03 AM·1m read1 source
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South Korea's Ministry of Unification spent about $200,000 to support civic groups that welcomed the visitors and attended the first match.
Attendance figures The first match drew 5,763 spectators in an 11,808-seat stadium in Suwon. The second match, held without government financial support, drew 2,670 spectators. Suwon is part of a metropolitan area of 26 million people. Some observers criticized the government funding for the event.
Survey data on unification The Korean Institute of National Unification reported that 51 percent of 1,000 respondents in its 2025 survey said unification is not necessary. Sixty-three point two percent said unification is unnecessary if the two Koreas can coexist peacefully, and 68.1 percent said they are uninterested in North Korea.
The institute has conducted the survey since 2014 and has recorded falling support for unification over that period. A South Korean businessman whose family was divided by the 1950-53 Korean War said unification is a dying issue among younger generations.
North Korea revised its constitution in March to define the two Koreas as separate states.
