Translation result.### 
North Korean coach Ri Yu‑il, who leads the Naegohyang Women’s Football Team into an international final, openly bristled when reporters described the matchup as a Korea–Japan affair and called it a “rough” game during a press conference.
At a prefinal news conference on the 22nd at Suwon Sports Complex ahead of the 2025–26 AFC Women’s Champions League final, Ri bluntly asked, “What’s a Korea–Japan match?”
His remark came after a reporter said, “Like a Korea–Japan match, the final between Naegohyang and Tokyo Verdy looks set to be intense.”
Ri pressed, “What do you mean by ‘as intense as a Korea–Japan match?’” and then turned to his interpreter, asking, “What is a Korea–Japan match?”
The confusion appears tied to Pyongyang’s change in terminology for South Korea. After Kim Jong Un redefined inter‑Korean relations at the end of 2023 as an antagonistic two‑state relationship, North Korea shifted away from the older term Namjoson and began using “Korea” or “the Republic of Korea.”
Ri seemed to interpret the reporter’s comment as referring to the Naegohyang vs. Tokyo Verdy final itself, rather than the conventional Korea–Japan national rivalry.
When the reporter clarified that they meant Naegohyang and Tokyo Verdy could be as physical as a Korea–Japan showdown, Ri bristled at the description of the game as “rough.”
“They called the opposing team ‘rough’ even before the semifinals. I don’t understand what that means,” he said. “Football always has rules and referees. Within those rules, fouls are called and players are booked.”
“I don’t know whether ‘rough’ means simply hard‑fought or that the play crosses the line into violent conduct,” he added. “Before I answer, I think the term itself is inappropriate.”
Ri stressed, “Our team will do its best in the final within the bounds of the rules, just as we did in the semifinals.”
His heated response, delivered with North Korea’s characteristic intensity, quickly silenced the room.
After the conference, Ri credited the recent rise of North Korean women’s football to a strong player‑development system, including the Pyongyang International Football School. “Winning is important, but developing into a stronger team is also a key objective,” he said.
Meanwhile, Naegohyang beat Suwon FC Women 2–1 in the AWCL semifinals on the 20th to reach the final, which will be played on the 23rd at Suwon Sports Complex.
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