S. Korea frets over World Cup terrorists, anti U.S. protests

S. Korea frets over World Cup terrorists, anti U.S. protests

Tim Witcher, Agence France Presse, Daegu, South Korea

Monday's soccer clash between South Korea and the United States
has been given the highest security risk ranking of the World Cup
by the government and FIFA, officials said.

Fears of an attack on the U.S. team have put the authorities
on high alert. But with the host nation riding a wave of
patriotic World Cup fever, the government is also fretting that
South Korean fans might stage embarrassing anti-American
protests.

FIFA has made the match Category A, the highest of its three
level security ranking, according to organizers.

"It will be the toughest security to date," said Walter Gagg,
FIFA's head of security.

"A special group of American security officers will be working
with Korean intelligence. There were over 11,500 security people
in the stadium for the opening match and we will have a very high
number here," he added.

Taking no chances of copycat Sept. 11 style suicide plane
attacks, U.S. warships and planes at sea off the Korean coast
will monitor the southeastern city, defense officials said.

South Korean air force jets will patrol the skies, anti-
aircraft missiles will be deployed on the stadium roof and key
buildings around it. More than 900 South Korean troops will be
stationed around the stadium alongside more than 10,000 police.

Chemists and bio-chemists will also be at the stadium to make
air quality checks in case of a biological attack.

The U.S. team is already the most protected one of the 32 at
the World Cup in Korea and Japan. U.S. coach Bruce Arena even has
a heavily armed security 'shadow' even when he walks around the
team hotel in Seoul.

But with the Group D match now of vital importance for
qualification to the second round, the troops and missiles can do
little to protect the government from embarrassment if boo-boys
in an expected 60,000 crowd fire a barrage of insults at the team
from South Korea's biggest ally.

According to media reports, anti-U.S. songs and chants have
been spread on the internet for use at the match and at giant
screens in the center of major cities that attracted hundreds of
thousands of people for South Korea's first match.

Gagg revealed on Sunday that President Kim Dae-Jung, who was
in Busan when South Korea beat Poland 2-0, is to stay away from
Daegu following intelligence reports.

"The president will not attend because of security reasons.
This was a decision made by government and intelligence," said
Gagg.

Earlier the presidential office insisted though that there was
never a plan for Kim to go.

There will also be extra security around the U.S. embassy in
Seoul, which will close Monday afternoon, and other U.S. targets.
And the government has warned that it will act against anti-U.S.
protests.

"The government will crack down hard on any attempts to create
trouble in order to ensure safety during the World Cup and to
prevent incidents that could damage South Korea-U.S. ties,"
government spokesman Shin Jung-Sik told AFP.