NPR

Korean Women's Hockey Team Presents A Unified Front As It Takes To The Ice

Sarah Murray, center, head coach of the unified Korean women's ice hockey team, says the team has come together since being formed through a political dialogue. Here, Murray and the South Korean players (in black) welcomed North Korea's coach Pak Chol-Ho and members of the northern team last month. The united team now wears all-white coats.

In many ways, the Korean women's hockey squad at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics is the most interesting team in the world. And Saturday night, it will get even more interesting.

They were jammed together in January because of a political accord – and a desire by South Korea's leaders to include their northern neighbors in the Winter Games. Now the joint women's hockey team is playing their first game, offering a look at how sports diplomacy could work on the Korean Peninsula.

Korea plays Switzerland on Saturday night, facing off against the No. 6 team in the world while

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