( LEAD ) N . Korea stuns Britain for 1 st win at women ' s hockey worlds in S . Korea ( ATTN : ADDS details , photos ) By Yoo Jee - ho GANGNEUNG , South Korea , April 5 ( Yonhap ) -- North Korea stunned Britain 3 - 2 in overtime for its first win at the women ' s hockey world championships in South Korea on Wednesday . North Korea , ranked 26 th , squandered a 2 - 0 lead in the third period before Jin Ok netted the overtime winner to beat No . 21 Britain at the International Ice Hockey Federation ( IIHF ) Women ' s World Championship Division II Group A at Gangneung Hockey Centre in Gangneung , Gangwon Province . North Korean players Jin Ok ( R on ice ) , Kim Un - hyang ( No . 4 ) and Won Chol - sun celebrate their 3 - 2 overtime victory over Britain at the International Ice Hockey Federation Women ' s World Championship Division II Group A at Gangneung Hockey Centre in Gangneung , Gangwon Province , on April 5 , 2017 . ( Yonhap ) North Korea lost to Australia and the Netherlands earlier in the tournament . At last year ' s world championships , Britain had blanked North Korea 7 - 0 . This year ' s tournament , doubling as a test event for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics , also features host South Korea ( No . 23 ) , the Netherlands ( No . 19 ) , Slovenia ( No . 24 ) and Australia ( No . 28 ) . The top nation after round - robin play will be promoted to Division I Group B next year , while the last - place nation will be relegated to Division II Group B in 2018 . North Korea wasted three power - play chances in the scoreless first period , when the teams each put 10 shots on goal . After a dull stretch , North Korea broke the scoreless deadlock with a short - handed goal at 17 : 54 in the second period . Taking advantage of Britain ' s neutral zone turnover , Jong Su - hyon went on a breakaway . Goalie Nicole Jackson stopped the initial shot , but Jong scored on her own rebound . Jong Su - hyon of North Korea ( C ) scores past Nicole Jackson of Britain ( R ) during their game at the International Ice Hockey Federation Women ' s World Championship Division II Group A at Gangneung Hockey Centre in Gangneung , Gangwon Province , on April 5 , 2017 . ( Yonhap ) North Korea doubled the lead just two minutes into the third period , this time scoring on a power play . Jin Ok settled behind the British net and fed defenseman Won Chol - sun , who snuck in through the defense for a one - timer from between the face - off circles . Just when North Korea appeared headed for its first win here , Britain woke up with two goals in 56 seconds . Angela Taylor first cut the deficit in half with a wrist shot from the right face - off circle at 9 : 53 . Then at 10 : 49 , Leanne Ganney went on a breakaway when defenseman Kim Nong - gum was caught flat - footed in her own zone and beat So Jong - sim to make it a 2 - 2 affair . Britain could have sealed the deal with 1 : 05 left to play , but Katie Henry was stoned by So on a 2 - on - 1 chance . Then 1 : 59 into overtime Jin ended the game by poking home a loose puck near the crease after a mad scramble . Britain outshot North Korea 35 - 29 in the losing cause . Kim Nong - gum of North Korea ( L ) battles Georgina Farman of Britain for the puck during their game at the International Ice Hockey Federation Women ' s World Championship Division II Group A at Gangneung Hockey Centre in Gangneung , Gangwon Province , on April 5 , 2017 . ( Yonhap ) Won , who forms the top defensive pair with Kim Nong - gum , was named the North ' s best player of the game after notching a goal and an assist . For the third straight game , North Korea enjoyed the raucous support of South Korean fans . A local civic group assembled a cheering group of some 300 members who have attended every North Korea game while dressed in the same hooded sweatshirts bearing the Korean Unification Flag , an image of the whole Korean Peninsula in blue . North Korean players have refused to speak to the South Korean press after games here , and Wednesday was no exception . A few players waved at cameras as they passed through the mixed zone . Han Ho - chol , a team manager who has been the de facto spokesman for North Korea , thanked the South Korean fans for their support . " We ' re appreciative of those who gave us enthusiastic cheers , " Han said . " It helped the team a great deal . Thank you . " The North Korean delegation of 20 players and 10 officials made the cross - border trip amid tensions on the peninsula , stemming from a series of North Korean provocations and its threat of a nuclear test . Earlier Wednesday , North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the East Sea , apparently to test its missile technology and time it before the U . S . - China summit . The all - Korea hockey showdown looms at 9 p . m . Thursday at Gangneung Hockey Centre . South Korea is three spots above North Korea in the world rankings , and has won its first two games prior to Wednesday ' s nightcap against Australia . South Korea has been impressive in both of its wins and based on the two nations ' play so far , South Korea may beat North Korea handily . At last year ' s world championships , South Korea prevailed 4 - 1 . Asked about the much - anticipated matchup , Han simply said , " We ' ll just go out there and play . " North Korean players line up on the ice for the raising of their flag and the playing of their national anthem after beating Britian 3 - 2 at the International Ice Hockey Federation Women ' s World Championship Division II Group A at Gangneung Hockey Centre in Gangneung , Gangwon Province , on April 5 , 2017 . ( Yonhap ) jeeho @ yna . co . kr ( END )