The DPR Korea Women's National Team are considered a powerhouse in women's football, having been the highest ranked team in Asia in the FIFA Ranking in the 2000s. They have won the AFC Women's Asian Cup three times (2001, 2003 and 2008) and are renowned for their physical strength, long kicks, and competitiveness.

Japan have also struggled against DPR Korea in the past. However, it was almost 20 years ago, on 24 April 2004, that Japan defeated DPR Korea 3-0 in the AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Athens 2004, which was played at the Japan National Stadium before its renovation. The win that clinched Japan's first appearance at the Olympic Games in two tournaments, in front of 31,324 spectators, attracted a great deal of public attention.

This match against DPR Korea was a turning point for Japanese women's football, as one of Japan's key players at the time, SAWA Homare, recalls: “That one win introduced the name ‘Nadeshiko Japan’ (Japan Women's National Team) to a lot of people. More than 30,000 fans and supporters gathered at the Japan National Stadium to cheer us on, which was unthinkable for women's football at the time, and I think that victory is one of the top three games that changed the history of women's football in Japan.”

However, DPR Korea have since been suspended or withdrawn from international competitions, including the XXXII Olympic Games (Tokyo 2020) in 2021, where the team withdrew from the Asian qualifiers. The team has been back in action since last year, reaching the final of the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou in September-October 2023. They finished runners-up after losing 1-4 to Japan in the final, but DPR Korea's trademark brand of football was on full display at the tournament, with plenty of aggressive pressing from kick-off and an attacking style that saw both full-backs attack aggressively up the flanks. In November-December, the team took part in the preliminary round of the EAFF E-1 Football Championship 2024 in China PR, winning all three of their group matches and qualifying for the final tournament with a 5-0 win over Chinese Taipei in the final.

They finished top of Group B in the second round of the Asian qualifiers for the Women's Olympic Football Tournament Paris 2024 with two wins and a draw against Korea Republic, China PR and Thailand and will be hoping to qualify for their third Olympic Games, their first in three tournaments.

DPR Korea Women's National Team

Head Coach

RI YU IL

Squad

GK
 1   PAK JU MI (Naegohyang Sports Club)
21  KIM JONG SUN (April 25 Sports Club)
18  YU SON GUM (Sobaeksu Sports Club)

DF
16  PAK SIN JONG (Amnokgang Sports Club)
20  RI HYE GYONG (Amnokgang Sports Club)
 4   PONG SONG AE (Naegohyang Sports Club)
 5   SONG CHUN SIM (Pyongyang Sports Club)
 2   RI MYONG GUM (Naegohyang Sports Club)

MF
 9   JU HYO SIM (April 25 Sports Club)
12  CHOE KUM OK (Naegohyang Sports Club)
 8   RI SU JONG (Naegohyang Sports Club)
 6   MYONG YU JONG (April 25 Sports Club)

FW
15  WI JONG SIM (April 25 Sports Club)
 7   SUNG HYANG SIM (Pyongyang Sports Club)
 3   RI KUM HYANG (Naegohyang Sports Club)
17  KIM KYONG YONG (Naegohyang Sports Club)
11  HAN JIN HONG (April 25 Sports Club)
10  RI HAK (April 25 Sports Club)
19  RI JONG GUM (April 25 Sports Club)
22  KIM HYE YONG (Naegohyang Sports Club)
13  KIM CHUNG MI (April 25 Sports Club)
14  HONG SONG OK (Amnokgang Sports Club)

*Positions and numbers are as announced by the AFC for the match on 24 February.

Record against Japan

12 wins, 5 draws, 7 losses (33 goals, 24 against)

Results at the FIFA Women's World Cup™

Appearances: 4 times
1991　Eliminated in the qualifier
1995　Did not participate
1999　Group stage
2003　Group stage
2007　Quarterfinals
2011　Group stage
2015　Suspended from participating
2019　Eliminated in the qualifier
2023　Did not participate

Results at the Summer Olympic Games

Appearances: 2 times
1996　Did not participate
2000　Eliminated in the qualifier
2004　Eliminated in the qualifier
2008　Group stage
2012　Group stage
2016　Eliminated in the qualifier
2020　Did not participate

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