Chuan, Kim delay meet for Cup match

Chuan, Kim delay meet for Cup match

SEOUL (AFP): Visiting Thai Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai yesterday easily agreed with President Kim Young-Sam to delay their planned summit -- to watch Bolivia-South Korea World Cup match, a presidential spokesman said.

Morning rush-hour road traffic congestion started earlier than usual, as millions of Seoul commuters deserted the strike-ravaged subway and used whatever vehicles available to get to work in time for the telecast football match.

In the southeastern industrial city of Ulsan, 20,000 workers at South Korea's largest shipyard, Hyundai Heavy Industries, struck for three hours to watch the telecast match.

At the prison in the southwestern city of Kunsan, some 700 inmates were allowed the special privilege of watching the match for the first time in the prison's 84-year history, Yonhap news agency said.

The presidential spokesman said Chuan and Kim met 20 minutes behind their original schedule at the presidential Blue House. Chuan told Kim that he was impressed by the performance of South Korea.

Kim said he was saddened that the match ended in a goalless draw after the South Korean side failed to convert some good chances to goals.

But Kim stressed South Korea still had a chance of advancing to the last 16 competition.

"Although Germany are the defending champions and strong pre- match favorites, we may pull it off," Kim told Chuan, noting that South Korea earlier fought to a 2-2 draw with Spain, which tied 1-1 with Germany.