Positivity reigns after historic debut of unified Korean women's basketball team at Asian Games

JAKARTA - The Korean women's basketball team made history after defeating Indonesia, 108-40, at the Asian Games 2018 in Jakarta, embodying the potential success that a unified Korea can achieve.

The team consists of nine players from Korea and three from DPR Korea, and so far, they have encountered nothing but smooth sailing.

"I BELIEVE THAT THIS ONE UNITED TEAM AT THE 2018 ASIAN GAMES WILL CONTRIBUTE TO BRINGING PEACE ON THE KOREA PENINSULA AND ULTIMATELY ACHIEVING PEACEFUL REUNIFICATION"- KOREA BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT PAN YUL

"We are all very happy with this unification," said Korea center Park HyeJin. "There are no significant difficulties among us so far, because in fact we are from the same nation and culture. We have no difficulty communicating because our language is same."

About a month ago, DPR Korea's trio of Ro SukYong, Jang MiGyong and Kim HyeYon joined up with the nine Korea mainstays to form the first-ever unified Korean basketball team in recent memory, following in the footsteps of the unified Korea women's ice hockey team from the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics earlier this year.

Korea Basketball Association (KBA) President Pan Yul stressed the importance of what this unified Korea team represents.

"I am so proud of it. I, especially, would like to thank FIBA, FIBA Asia, and OCA (Olympic Council of Asia) for their full support to this idea," he said. "We have seen many historical moments caused by sports and I believe that this one united team at the 2018 Asian Games will contribute to bringing peace on the Korea peninsula and ultimately achieving peaceful reunification."

The game was held at the Bung Karno Sports Center, where SukYong led the Korean charge with 22 points and HyeYon added 14.

"Isn't it good to have a joint team? I think we should have more unified teams in other sports," said DPR Korea Olympic Committee Vice Chairman Won Kul U. "I hope our Korean people can have a big achievement at the Asian Games. Let's show the united power of the North and the South."

As well as basketball, unified Korea teams can also be seen in the rowing, canoeing and dragon boat racing events of the quadrennial Asian Games.

Korea's unified stand in women's basketball is especially significant given the fact they are the defending champions.

"Our target for now is to win a gold medal," HyeJin pointed out. "We do hope that the unified Korea team can continue, not only in basketball, but also in other sports and that this will lead to unification in other fields."

This unified national team is the first of several unification initiatives that will be featured in the Asian Games even as athletes and team officials from both Korea and DPR Korea will march as one at this weekend's opening ceremony.

On paper, the fact of this unified Korea beating the hosts in Jakarta may count as just one win, but in reality it could turn out to be the start of bigger things to come for all Koreans everywhere.

FIBA