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Cup battle heightens
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SOUTH KOREA has threatened to challenge an agreement to hold the 2002 World Cup final in Japan if Japanese organizers continue to insist on relegating the word "Korea" to second place on ticket application forms, Seoul's Yonhap News Agency reported yesterday.
A FIFA decision in 1996 granted the prestigious final match in the co-hosted tournament to Tokyo but officially named the competition as "2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan".
Japan has angered South Korea with plans to print 'Japan' before 'Korea' on ticket applications for the finals.
"If Japan continues to demand for a change in the title name, we may ask for a review of the agreement to hold the final game in Japan," Yonhap quoted an official at the Korean World Cup organizing committee known as KOWOC.
"If Japan is going to take the title issue to the next FIFA executive board meeting, the venue of the World Cup final should also be discussed again," the official added.
KOWOC officials were not immediately available for comment.
FIFA general-secretary Michel Zen-Ruffinen said in late January his idea, which was believed to be a suggestion that the name 'Japan' be put first in the Japanese language -- was being considered and a decision would be made in due course.
South Korea and Japan are at loggerheads because Japan has insisted on using its name before Korea on tickets sold in Japan.
"FIFA has repeatedly asserted that the name should be Korea first and Japan last," said a KOWOC official spokesman on Saturday.
Korea has rejected Japanese claims of a 'gentleman's agreeement' under which it could change the order for the Japanese market.
"This agreement with FIFA must be kept as it was an international promise," said the spokesman.
"KOWOC is confident the official designation dispute will be brought to an end.
"It must not be allowed to become an obstacle to the historic co-hosting of the 2002 FIFA World Cup," he added.
Japan and South Korea are scheduled to co-host the Confederations Cup, featuring France and Brazil, from May 31 in a rehearsal for the World Cup.
Officials, however, said they do not expect the row to affect the tournament. (SD-Agencies)
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