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'Powerful tool' South Korea sees World Cup as instrument of peace
SEOUL (Reuters) -- South Korea's top soccer official wants next year's World Cup finals to be a powerful tool for reconciliation rather than a focus of terrorism fears after last month's suicide attacks in the United States. Chung Mong-joon said in an interview on Tuesday the door would remain open for North Korea to host matches right up to the Dec. 1 draw in the South's port city of Pusan. "Following that terrorist accident, prevention of terrorism is very important. But prevention is a kind of minimum requirement. We hope we can produce a message of reconciliation, of human reconciliation, human harmony, during the World Cup," the soccer chief said referring to the Sept. 11 attacks. "The World Cup and football is a very powerful tool." Chung is president of the Korean Football Association, co-chairman of South Korea's World Cup organizing committee and a vice-president of FIFA, the ruling body of soccer. South Korea and Japan are co-hosting the May 31-June 30 finals at 20 new stadiums -- 10 in each country. Chung said South Korea, which will host the opening ceremony and match in Seoul, would invite leaders from across Asia and the Middle East as a gesture of peace. South Korean security officials were exploring all possible measures to thwart terrorism during the finals, he said. "People who try to disturb football tournaments, they are making a big mistake," he said. "Anybody who tries to disturb football tournaments, they turn friends into their enemies." China qualification gives big boostWith giant neighbors China qualified for the finals for the first time, Chung said South Korean President Kim Dae-jung had, at a recent Asia-Pacific summit in Shanghai, invited Chinese President Jiang Zemin to the opening ceremony. "I understand President Jiang said yes, he would give it positive consideration," Chung said. He said there was a strong possibility of a South Korea-China friendly before the finals. Chung, who is potential contender to succeed FIFA president Sepp Blatter next year, said China's qualification for Asia's first World Cup finals would provide an economic and sporting boost to the entire region. "This should be a festival of all of the Asian people. If the benefit is limited to Japan and Korea it is not a very desirable development," he said. Some 60 billion cumulative viewers -- 10 times the world's population -- are expected to tune into television coverage around the world now China has qualified. Chinese fans travelling to the finals could provide a fillip, too. "I hope millions of young Chinese can come to Korea during next year's tournament. They can come by motorcycle, bikes, cars," said Chung. "Why not?" That presupposes Chinese fans would travel by sea or air as North Korea seems unlikely to open its land border to China, still less the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone that has divided North from South Korea for half a century. Don't close door on N. Korea too earlyBut Chung expressed cautious hope North Korea would at least attend the Pusan draw and that Pyongyang would not rule out hosting some of the 2002 matches. "Some North Korean officials mentioned several times it is already too late," he said. "The only thing FIFA can do is not to close the window of opportunity too early." He said the deadline would be the Pusan draw when the 32 qualified teams are divided into eight groups. "I hope North Korea can be positive and they can come to the discussion table as early as possible," Chung said, adding he would discuss with Blatter the possibility of the FIFA president visiting the North before the draw. He said he "guessed" President Kim had asked Jiang and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Shanghai to use their ties with the North to persuade Pyongyang to take part. North-South diplomatic talks are in a state of flux. Chung said a South Korea friendly against the United States would go ahead on Dec. 9 at a World Cup venue on the island of Cheju. A further friendly was still being sought with Germany. Friendlies are already planned against Croatia and Senegal. Asked how far he thought Dutch coach Guus Hiddink's South Korea team would get next year, Chung noted hosts France won the last World Cup finals in 1998 and said: "Why not Korea, too?" Korea considering crackdown on dog mistreatmentConcerned about its international image, South Korea is considering a plan to crack down on the mistreatment of dogs before they are slaughtered for food. The campaign, expected to begin as early as next month, would be designed to fend off criticism from international animal rights groups ahead of the 2002 World Cup soccer tournament. Millions of South Koreans eat dog meat, which is considered healthy and is commonly eaten in summertime. Many people also believe it enhances male sexual prowess. "We are currently studying a proposal to intensify checks on cruel killings of dogs," said Lee Byong-jin, an official at the prime minister's office. "But it would be realistically impossible to impose a ban on the sale of dog meat," Lee said. He did not specify what kind of measures the government planned to take, but many so-called "meat dogs" are raised in unhygienic conditions in crowded cages in the countryside. Traditionally, dogs were hanged or beaten with bats to soften the flesh before slaughter. The government has cracked down on the old methods, and most handlers today kill dogs swiftly with electric shocks. No South Korean law bans the sale of dog meat. The government can crack down on dog-eating by invoking a law against consumption of "unsightly" foods, including snakes. South Korea closed thousands of dog-meat restaurants in its big cities during the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. But after the Olympics, the ban was relaxed. International animal rights groups have threatened to protest the country's role as co-host with Japan of the 2002 World Cup soccer finals if it allows dog meat sales.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. |
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