Korea voices terrorist concerns

Korea voices terrorist concerns

By Song Jung-a

SEOUL (Reuters): South Korean World Cup organizers voiced
their concerns about terrorism on Monday, vowing to work closely
with the CIA and other security bodies to ensure safety at next
year's tournament.

Following last week's attacks on the United States, South
Korean President Kim Dae-jung has expressed support for American
plans to thwart international terrorism as his country continues
preparations to co-host with Japan the biggest sporting event in
the world.

"International terrorists may use the world's biggest festival
as an opportunity for committing terror to make demands and
achieve their goals," South Korea's tournament organizing
committee said in a statement. "We are pushing to adopt the catch
phrase "Safe World Cup" for the 2002 Korea/Japan World Cup."

Kim and Korea's First Lady bought tickets on Monday as the
second round of sales opened for the finals, which are due to
kick off in Seoul on May 31.

Organizers said Korean fans bought more than 50,000 tickets
from about 390,000 put on sale, with demand especially high for
the opening match against world champions France.

A day earlier, South Korea unveiled the fifth of the 10 stadia
it is building for the 32-nation tournament.

Aerial defense

Organizers said they would work closely with the Central
Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Britain's MI5 to ensure the safety
of players and spectators in a series of friendly matches over
the coming weeks as well as the month-long finals.

The U.S. squad is due in South Korea for a friendly on Dec. 9.

Korean and Japanese organizers are scheduled to meet on
Tuesday in Chonju, south of Seoul, to coordinate their planning
efforts just one week after hijackers crashed commercial
airliners into landmark buildings in New York and Washington.

Both nations are close allies of the United States and tens of
thousands of American troops stationed in each have been put on
high alert.

Discussions are under way with the South Korean military to
strengthen aerial security, including a ban on flights around
stadia during World Cup games, organizers said.

Neighboring North Korea is technically at war with the South,
and Washington has deemed it a "rogue state" for its past links
with state-sponsored terrorism, including the bombing of a South
Korean airliner over Myanmar in 1987.

"We're also worried about hooligan violence which has been
growing more extreme in Europe," the organizers' statement said.
Germany were scheduled to play in Korea in November but the 5-1
defeat by England earlier this month means the Germans are likely
to be involved in World Cup playoff matches around that time.

Organizers are expected to look for alternative opponents.