North Korea vs South Korea’s mysterious World Cup qualifier ends in draw after fans rely on FAX for updates amid media ‘blackout’
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NORTH and South Korea's mysterious World Cup qualifier will be better remembered for the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the game rather than the 0-0 draw itself.
The showdown between the two sides - whose countries are still technically at war - left fans in the dark after it was played at an empty Kim Il Sung stadium with no live broadcast or foreign media allowed.
The clash was the first time the rivals have faced off in the North's capital, Pyongyang, since 1990 but supporters were limited to online commentary that consisted of only substitutions and bookings.
South Korean supporters have since been promised a DVD containing footage of the match before the delegation heads home, according to the country's unification ministry in charge of inter-Korean affairs.
Paulo Bento's side - including Tottenham striker Son Heung-min - had been forced to travel Pyongyang via China and had to leave their phones in Beijing.
Only 30 staff members from the South's football association (KFA) were allowed limited communications to report the game, by
Notoriously private North Korean state media have so far made no mention of the World Cup qualifier.
Defender Kim Min-jae said on Monday: "There have always been at least some South Korean fans, so it should be our first time to play without any.
"But we can overcome and play well, thinking it's better if the stadium is crowded than empty."
FIFA President Gianni Infantino planned to attend the match after he was pictured arriving in Pyongyang, but it is unknown how many spectators were inside the 50,000 capacity venue to watch the 0-0 draw.
"Photos sent by our employees show not a single person in the stands," KFA official Park Jae-sung said. "We are not sure why the North is doing this."
FIFA President Infantino, 49, had earlier floated the idea of the two Asian countries uniting to jointly hold the 2023 Women's World Cup.
"Photos sent by our employees show not a single person in the stands. We are not sure why the North is doing this
KFA official Park Jae-sung
Last year saw North and South Korea form the first joint hockey team and march under a unified flag at the Winter Olympics.
That led to leaders Kim Jong-Un and Moon Jae vowing to denuclearise at a historic summit in Pyongyang back in September 2018.
But inter-Korean relations have since cooled following a disagreement in nuclear negotiations between the North and US President Donald Trump.
North Korea has ignored the South's calls to organize combined teams in field hockey, basketball, judo and other sports for the qualifying rounds for the Tokyo Olympics.
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It also refused to send North Korean athletes to the world swimming championships in the South Korean city of Gwangju earlier this year.
From a footballing perspective, the Pyongyang stalemate means both teams have stayed level on seven points at the top of the group, with South Korea possessing a better goal difference.
The second match between the Koreas is scheduled for June 4 in the South, with the two also set to face Lebanon, Turkmenistan and Sri Lanka in Group H.