Football has brought Viet Nam and South Korea closer, the Koreatimes quoted a Vietnamese fan as saying after the Vietnamese U23 team, under the guidance of South Korean coach Park Hang-seo came in second at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U23 Championship in China.

Viet Nam's U23 squad and their coach Park Hang-seo were warmly welcomed home on January 28. (Source: VNA_

In his article on the Koreatimes, Jung Min-ho described the frenetic atmosphere in Viet Nam on the night of 27 January after the final match between Viet Nam and Uzbekistan.  

Despite Viet Nam’s loss to Uzbekistan, Vietnamese fans still flocked to the street to celebrate the historic success of the home U-23 team, who were the 1^st Southeast Asian team to enter the final round of the championship.

“Mr Park Hang-seo is loved in Viet Nam for his contributions to the U23 team, and his leadership has taken the team to a new high on the regional playground,” the article quoted 28-year-old Giang Nguyen as saying. The woman said the South Korean coach’s contribution has helped consolidate the cooperative ties between Viet Nam and South Korea.

In Ha Noi, fans braved the cold and rains to celebrate the U23 team’s accomplishment deep into the night. Kim Hyo-jin, a Korean living in Ha Noi, said the celebration reminded her of the time back in 2002 when South Korea entered the World Cup semi-finals after beating Spain.

The article also mentioned South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s praise for the role of coach Park Hang-seo in Viet Nam’s U23 team’s performance at the championship. The president also expressed joy because thanks to football, the two countries have become close friends.
(Source: VNA)