N Korea pulls out of women's soccer contest in S Korea

SEOUL: North Korea has pulled out of a women's football competition in South Korea this month due to tensions over its nuclear test, organizers said on Tuesday.   

The North's women's squad was scheduled to take part in the 2006 Peace Queen Cup Korea to be held in six South Korean cities from October 28 to November 4.   

But North Korea said after its nuclear test Monday that it could not send its team to the 200,000 dollar competition, the organizing committee said.   

"We decided to find a substitute team. The decision reflects our concerns that the safety of North Korean players will not be guaranteed under these circumstances," a committee official said.   

The committee originally invited eight teams from the United States, Brazil, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Italy and the two Koreas.   

The test sparked anger and street demonstrations in Seoul.