S. Korea steps up bid for 2022 World Cup

SEOUL, Nov. 10 (Yonhap) -- The head of South Korea's 2022 World Cup bidding
committee, Han Sung-joo, said Tuesday that South Korea is in a better position
than its rivals to win the right to host the global sports event.

"I think South Korea has an advantage over the United States and Japan to compete
for the 2022 World Cup," said Han, former foreign minister and ambassador to
Washington, at a general meeting of the bidding committee in downtown Seoul.
The U.S., Japan, England, Australia and Russia have all shown interest in hosting
the showpiece in 2018 and 2022, while South Korea submitted its bid for the 2022
tournament only. Spain teamed up with Portugal, and the Netherlands with Belgium
to propose jointly hosting the event.
"A European country is likely to win the race for the 2018 event. South Korea
will compete with non-European nations, including the U.S., Australia, Japan,
Indonesia, and Qatar, for the 2022 event."
Han emphasized that South Korea has experience of co-hosting the World Cup in
2002 with Japan and facilities such as stadiums that have been maintained in good
condition to hold the event at any time.
"It's also encouraging that our young players have acquired outstanding results
in the under-20 and 17 World Cups. South Korea, which snatched the seventh
consecutive berth to the World Cup finals, deserves to be treated as a football
powerhouse," said Han.
In the U-20 World Cup held in Egypt last month and also in the ongoing U-17
tournaments in Nigeria, South Korea reached the quarterfinals, raising hopes for
further successful outcomes in international football events since reaching the
semifinals in 2002.
Upon winning the bid, Han said the committee will consider sharing some of the
games with North Korea, which is technically at war with the South since the
Korean War (1950-1953) ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty.
"As the inter-Korean relationship gets better, hosting the World Cup on the
Korean Peninsula will contribute to world peace."
Meanwhile, the committee earmarked 9 billion won (US$7.75 million) for the
international campaign next year, commmittee officials said, adding it will
promote South Korea's bid in the upcoming World Cup finals set to open in South
Africa in June 2010 and other football events.
The winners of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding race will be decided in
December next year.
brk@yna.co.kr
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