By David Owen in Cape Town
December 6 – A Korean World Cup could see matches taking place in both parts of the divided peninsula, Han Sung-Joo, the chairman of the South Korea 2022 World Cup Bidding Committee, has told insideworldfootball in an exclusive interview.
He said: “If we can host a World Cup, we hope to have some games in North Korea.”
Han continued: “Being a socialist country, they have really nice and big stadiums.
“It would have a great effect on exchanges [between the two nations] and peace.”
Like Qatar and Indonesia, South Korea is bidding only for the 2022 World Cup, in the keenly-fought contest that will see the hosts of both this competition and its 2018 counterpart determined at the same time next year.
South Korea is generally seen as an outsider, partly because it hosted the 2002 World Cup along with Japan.
Han argues that “other countries” have staged two World Cups within 20 years of each other. (Mexico staged the 1970 and 1986 tournaments.)
Moreover, he argues, since 2002 was undertaken with another country, “We consider that as half a bid”.
North Korea, as well as its southern neighbours, will be present at the next World Cup in 2010 in South Africa, having qualified for the final stages of the competition for the first time in 44 years.
Then, the hermit state created a sensation by knocking out the worldly wise Italians and taking a three-goal lead against Eusebio’s Portugal before capitulating 5-3.
Its chances of progressing far in next year’s tournament were all but extinguished, however, by the draw on Friday which has bracketed them with Brazil, their 1966 nemesis Portugal and Cote d’Ivoire.
South Korea may host the 2018 Winter Olympics, with the city of Pyeongchang currently bidding against Annecy and Munich.
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