Japan, S. Korea World Cup row over

Japan, S. Korea World Cup row over

ZURICH, Switzerland (AFP): South Korea and Japan kicked into touch their traditional bitterness here Wednesday to agree on all key points on cohosting the 2002 World Cup, including who would stage the final.

The showpiece final will be held in Tokyo but the opening ceremony and opening match, featuring World Cup holder Brazil, will be in Seoul, a FIFA (the world soccer body) source confirmed.

The tournament will be known as the 2002 World Cup Korea- Japan.

According to sources at the three-hour meeting between the two countries and a special six-man FIFA committee, it was originally proposed to put Japan ahead of Korea in the title but the Koreans dug their heels in and refused to budge.

FIFA had put a strict gag order on the two sides, planning to announce details of the agreement only when it is formally ratified by the executive committee meeting in Barcelona early next month.

But within hours details were leaked.

Neither side looked particularly happy after the sometimes tense meeting with the FIFA committee headed by Sweden's Lennart Johansson.

"I am not unhappy, nor am I happy," said Ken Naganuma, president of the Japanese Football Association.

"Our aim is to work together," commented Chung Moon-Jong, head of the Korea delegation.

According to one source there was a moment during the meeting when members of one of the delegations were on the verge of walking out.

"It was very tense. FIFA put forward a certain plan that one side took as a direct slight against them. Luckily a quick compromise was found otherwise the meeting could have ended in disaster," said the source.

"The agenda was very much forced through by the FIFA committee. A lot of things they simply forced the two sides to agree on," he added.

Japanese hopes of having the number of teams in the final increased to 40 from the 32 that will take part in the 1998 World Cup in France was firmly rejected by FIFA.

Japan also pleaded for the majority of matches but it was finally agreed that both nations would have 16 games apiece.

Enemies

Wednesday's accord put to rest fears that the two countries, long time historical enemies, would ever be able to reach agreement.

Last month FIFA general secretary Sepp Blatter warned that the 2002 World Cup was heading for disaster.

"The countries are not only not coming closer, it's quite the opposite. They are moving further apart. This is not the marriage we want," said Blatter.

But at a straight talking private lunch hosted by Japan, the two rivals, forced into cohosting by FIFA president Joao Havelange last May after the bitterest bidding battle in World Cup history, agreed to work firmly together.

Chung is believed to have got assurances from the Japanese that they would fully inform South Korea of any future discussions they might have with FIFA.

The Koreans had been upset by a confidential memo sent by Japan to selected executive committee members laying out a list of their demands and suggestions.

Although the memo was dated Sept. 18, the Koreans only discovered its existence at the beginning of this week.