On February 20th, there was the last match of women ice-hockey unified South-North team. Regardless of the result, it is a valuable experience for peace that both South and North players became a single team and worked together for victory.

At first, the unified team started from the difficult situation since until last year, circumstances on the Korean Peninsula was at a critical moment. Then, as New Year’s address of Kim Jeong-un, the head of North’s cabinet members, made a turning point in South and North’s relationship, during the senior-talks, North’s participation in Pyeong-chang Olympic and formation of South-North team had been discussed. However, time remaining was too tight to perfectly organize everything discussed. Even the unified team of women ice hockey was formed after a consultation of North and South with IOC, they were able to practice together only from January 25th, right before the opening ceremony.

When the formation of unified team was informed to the public, there were some disagreements and concerns arising from our citizens because of possible sacrifice of South players and weakened power. This kind of public opinion especially proves us that how we ourselves are unconsciously disregarding a precious value of ‘peace’ in Korean peninsula. In order to eventually lead to an ultimate goal of the reunification of North and South, it is significant to educate the public that peace in Korea is the absolute value that we all have to pursue. Unless, the process of reunification would be interrupted by more and more obstacles such as lack of communication, ideological conflict and conflict of interest.

The peace in Korean peninsula is not a simple thing that one does not fight with the other, but it can be finalized when both sides cooperate together for the same goal and opening a new future for the betterment of both sides. In this aspect, the unified team has shown us that uniting together can exert more power and more touched emotions. Sweat and tears dropped by this historical unified team would be remembered by many people for a long time as a start of the peace and cooperation between North and South.