S . Korean footballers get special feeling after singing nat ' l anthem in Pyongyang PYONGYANG , April 5 ( Joints Press Corps ) -- The South Korean women ' s national football team players said Wednesday they had a " special feeling " when they sang the national anthem on North Korean soil before playing a qualifying match for the Asian Football Confederation ( AFC ) competition . South Korea opened the AFC Women ' s Asian Cup Group B qualifying tournament with a 10 - 0 victory over India at Kim Il - sung Stadium in Pyongyang . Before the match kickoff , the South Korean anthem was played at the stadium following the AFC rule . It was the first time that a South Korean anthem was heard in Pyongyang since September 2013 when the athletes from Seoul competed in the North Korean capital in a weightlifting competition . " I was deeply moved when we sang the national anthem in Pyongyang , " said forward Lee Geum - min who scored a hat trick against India . " But I also felt somewhat sad . " The South Korean flag is displayed at Kim Il - sung Stadium in Pyongyang on April 5 , 2017 , before the women ' s national football team play against India in a 2018 AFC Women ' s Asian Cup qualifying match . ( Joint Press Corps ) Midfielder Lee Min - a , who also put her name on the score sheet against India , said it was a special moment to sing the national anthem in North Korea . At the stadium , some 5 , 000 North Korean fans were present and they all stood up when the South Korean anthem started playing . The South Korean flag was also raised at Kim Il - sung Stadium for the first time . " Before the match , we said to each other that we need to sing the national anthem louder than usual , " she said . " Singing the national anthem is always special when you ' re representing the country , but today , it was really special . " South Korea ' s next match is against North Korea on Friday . The winner of this much - anticipated all - Korean showdown is expected to clinch the top spot in the group considering that neither the South nor the North are likely to lose to their low - ranked competitors . North Korea are ranked No . 10 in the latest FIFA rankings , followed by South Korea ( No . 17 ) , Uzbekistan ( No . 42 ) , India ( No . 56 ) and Hong Kong ( No . 65 ) . Only the group winner will advance to the 2018 Asian Cup in Jordan , which also doubles as the qualifying tournament for the 2019 FIFA Women ' s World Cup . After collecting a big win over India , the players said they are confident in showing a good performance against North Korea as well , even though the national team has won only once in the last 17 meetings . " We planned to eat ' Pyongyang Naengmyeon ' ( cold buckwheat noodles ) if we beat North Korea , " Lee Min - a said . " We will eat that food here . " South Korean captain Ji So - yun , who scored twice against India , said she is satisfied that the team made a good start . The forward , who plays with English club Chelsea Ladies FC , is the all - time leading scorer for the womens ' national team with 43 goals . " The match against North Korea is not going to be easy , but we have to get rid of the pressure and enjoy playing football , " she said . South Korean women ' s national football team players enter Kim Il - sung Stadium in Pyongyang on April 5 , 2017 to play a 2018 AFC Women ' s Asian Cup qualifying match against India . ( Joint Press Corps ) kdon @ yna . co . kr ( END )