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.