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.