Sutiyoso to attend World Cup opening

Sutiyoso to attend World Cup opening

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

City Governor Sutiyoso left on Sunday night for Seoul, South Korea, for a week-long meeting of governors from several of the world's metropolises and to take in the opening ceremony of the World Cup.

City spokesman Muhayat said on Monday that Sutiyoso would arrive home next Sunday after watching the World Cup's opening ceremony.

"The Seoul government seems to have intentionally arranged the meeting of governors close to the World Cup, so that they could also watch it," Muhayat said.

He said the governors would discuss several problems that face big cities, including traffic, city planning and urban management concerns.

Sutiyoso was accompanied by the City General Affairs Office head Margani and the City Development Planning Body deputy head Aurora Tambunan.

"But the meeting has nothing to do with the sister city relationship between Jakarta and Seoul," Muhayat said.

It will also have nothing to do with Jakarta's soccer team Persija, the winner of the National League competition last year, but which failed to reach the semifinals in this year's match.

Sutiyoso, who is the chairman on Persija's board of trustees, expressed his disappointment last week with the team's low level of achievement this year.

Jakarta and Seoul have enjoyed a sister city relationship for almost a decade, but many have said that Jakarta has not learned from Seoul and failed to explore any potential benefits from the relationship.