Pin traded for mealbox

BUSAN, South Korea: Covering some sports at the Busan 2002 Asian Games can be an ordeal for reporters as some of the venues are located far away, in Busan's outskirts, and some even in other cities. When it comes to filling your stomach, you will do anything to beat your hunger.

Three Indonesian reporters were desperately looking for food at the Geumjeong Sports Complex at dinnertime at the women's team tennis final match between Indonesia and Japan on Saturday.

Then they saw police officers forming a line to receive a mealbox near the tennis stadium. Following their noses, the journalists followed the line and got their delicious mealbox of rice and fried fish, Korean-style.

"The police officer who distributed the mealboxes asked questions in Korean. I didn't understand a single word. I just gave him an Indonesian contingent pin to keep him happy," said Yon Parjiyono of Suara Karya daily.--JP