S . Korea focusing on own game plan vs . N . Korea at women ' s hockey worldsBy Yoo Jee - ho GANGNEUNG , South Korea , April 5 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korea will try to keep its focus on its own game when it takes on North Korea in a much - anticipated match at the women ' s hockey world championships at home , the team ' s coach said Wednesday . Sarah Murray said the key for South Korea will be not to worry about what their opponent will do when the most hyped - up contest at the International Ice Hockey Federation ( IIHF ) Women ' s World Championship Division II Group A takes place at Gangneung Hockey Centre in Gangneung , Gangwon Province at 9 p . m . Thursday . " We ' ve been telling the players to really focus on what we do and what we do well , " Murray said after her team defeated Australia 8 - 1 for the third consecutive victory . " We ' ll show the players some clips of North Korea but we ' ll just focus on executing our systems well . And we ' ll make them adjust to how we play ; we won ' t adjust to how they play . " South Korean players celebrate their 8 - 1 victory over Australia at the International Ice Hockey Federation Women ' s World Championship Division II Group A at Kwandong Hockey Centre in Gangneung , Gangwon Province , on April 5 , 2017 . ( Yonhap ) South Korea , ranked 23 rd , has been cruising in this tournament with 16 goals scored against three allowed . No . 26 North Korea started out with two straight losses but beat Britain 3 - 2 in overtime Wednesday . While North Korea will be riding high after that dramatic win , South Korea should have little trouble beating North Korea . Murray said the two Koreas have similar teams , with small but quick players in their lineups , and added Thursday will present " a very interesting matchup . " " They ' re a lot faster than last year . They ' re more skilled than they were last year , " Murray said , referring to last year ' s world championships when South Korea prevailed 4 - 1 . " We just need to make sure we don ' t take them for granted . " Top - line forward Park Jong - ah , who had two goals and two assists against Australia , said South Korea should be wary of North Korea ' s speed . " Their players have similar builds as us , and they ' re pretty fast , " Park said . " We have to skate hard so they won ' t beat us in the speed department . We ' ve come here to win the tournament and we have to take it one game at a time . " jeeho @ yna . co . kr ( END )