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.