South Korea’s two Group H matches against North Korea will be critical in qualifying for the World Cup. The games were initially scheduled as home and away, but North Korea rejected the idea of hoisting the South Korean flag and playing the South Korean anthem on its soil. The matches resulted in three draws and one South Korea win before both countries qualified for the tournament in South Africa. South Korea concluded the bombing was a North Korean attack aimed at scaring off Olympic visitors. It also refused to send North Korean athletes to the world swimming championships in the South Korean city of Gwangju earlier this year.

Source: Washington Post October 15, 2019 08:37 UTC