Hiddink tie proves a hit in S. Korea

Hiddink tie proves a hit in S. Korea

SEOUL: A tie worn by Guus Hiddink, the Dutch coach who has taken South Korea's national team further than any Asian side the World Cup finals, is proving a hit.

Local designer Kaye Leigh said she had given 16 ties to Hiddink to wish the team well when they reached the last 16 of the finals and he had worn one adorned with Taeguk (ying and yang circles).

"He liked the design very much. Wearing the tie, his team won in the final 16, eight and four."

South Korea play Turkey on Saturday in the third place play- off.

The tie also appears to have proved lucky outside the soccer world. Leigh said one housewife with terminal leukemia had ordered it as a gift for her husband and a day later found a relative in Los Angeles with the same bone marrow as hers. "Thinking good things come along with the tie, I decided to sell the tie," added Leigh, who runs Nouveautes Co Ltd, a small local accessory and gift design company. --Reuters