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As you can see, more than 1,000 people gathered at Incheon Airport today (7th) to see the national team.

Some brought gifts or letters from far away, and some parents came with their children.

I wanted to repay the players for the gratitude I felt while watching the World Cup.



Reporter Park Ye-rin covered the story.



<Reporter> The



time has just passed lunchtime.



Fans with flowers, placards and uniforms came to the airport one after another to meet the players who reached the round of 16 for the first time in 12 years.



[Son Ye-jin/Seoul Gangseo-gu: I love Lee Kang-in.]



[Lee Ho-yeol/Seoul Yangcheon-gu: Isn't Jo Kyu-seong the main character of this World Cup...

I almost fell in love with their fighting spirit.]



In front of the airport arrival gate where the soccer team players come out, it is crowded with countless fans who have come to the airport to see the players in person from early hours.



About 1,000 people gathered from all over the country, from children holding their parents' hands to students and job seekers.



[Jang Ho-jin/Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do: The children enjoyed watching the game played by Korean players and said they wanted to see the players in person, so the opportunity arrived and came.]



[Jang Yoon-gyeom/Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do: It was fun watching soccer.

When I scored a goal, I felt really good.]



As the arrival time approached, fans filled up outside the airport.



Draw portraits of players or write letters by pressing each letter.



[Shin Ha-yoon/Gimpo-si, Gyeonggi-do: First of all, I wrote that I am grateful for doing so well at the Qatar World Cup and that I hope to see you on more and bigger stages in the future.]



5:40 pm.



The long-awaited heroes have finally arrived.



The road to come from Gangwon-do was not tiring because the players showed that the important thing against a strong team is an unbreakable heart.



[Suyong Lee/Wonju City, Gangwon Province: We pierced the odds of a miracle.

I think I got that kind of feeling that 'you can do anything if you don't give up'.]



(Video coverage: Jang Woon-seok, Shin Dong-hwan, Lee Sang-hak, Yang Ji-hoon, video editing: Yoon Tae-ho)