The National Assembly Football Federation, a social gathering of lawmakers, held an inter-party football tournament on the 26th at the National Assembly sports field in Yeouido, Seoul.
The inter-party football tournament, which began in 2000, was held for the first time in two years since 2022. Lawmakers from the People Power Party and the Democratic Party, dressed in matching red and blue uniforms respectively, warmed up together and shared casual conversations before the game started.
Speaker Woo Won-sik said in his opening remarks before the match, "These days, the National Assembly is always clashing, but it is very good to see us come together in harmony and unity," adding, "The colors blue and red blend together like the colors of the Taegeuk, creating a soft and beautiful harmony."
Speaker Woo emphasized, "The power of football is truly remarkable. During the 2006 Germany World Cup, Didier Drogba, a football player from C?te d'Ivoire, urged his war-torn country to 'stop fighting,' which led to a ceasefire. This unifying power of football is a wonderful example of sportsmanship."
People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon and Democratic Party floor leader Park Chan-dae also visited the field and jointly emphasized the importance of cooperation.
From the Presidential Office, Kim Myung-yeon, the first secretary for political affairs, personally visited the field and presented coffee bearing a message from Chief Secretary Jeong Jin-seok, saying, "We hope this kickoff will be a refreshing breakthrough in the deadlocked inter-party relations." Jeong was also the previous chairman of the National Assembly Football Federation.
The match lasted 25 minutes each for the first and second halves, with each team fielding a total of 12 players, including one female lawmaker.
On the People Power Party side, team captain Song Seok-jun led players including Kang Dae-sik, Park Hyung-soo, Jeong Dong-man, and Jin Jong-oh, with female lawmakers Jo Bae-suk and Han Ji-a participating.
For the Democratic Party, team captain Wi Seong-gon was joined by Yoon Ho-jung, Han Byung-do, Jeong Dong-young, and Moon Geum-ju, with female lawmaker Lee Su-jin also playing.
From the first half, players engaged in a fierce battle without holding back.
At around the 17th minute of the second half, People Power Party lawmaker Jeong Dong-man scored the opening goal. Then, three minutes before the end of the second half, Democratic Party lawmaker Moon Geum-ju scored an equalizer, ending the 50-minute intense match in a 1-1 draw.
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