By Duncan Mackay
January 24 – South Korea’s President Lee Myung-bak (pictured) is set to meet FIFA President Sepp Blatter on Wednesday (January 27) to lobby on behalf of his country’s bid to host the 2022 World Cup.
He will be accompanied to meeting in Zurich by Chung Mong-joon, the FIFA vice-president who is also the chairman of South Korea’s Grand National Party.
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 in Zurich on December 2.
South Korea is generally seen as an outsider, partly because it hosted the 2002 World Cup along with Japan.
Chung was president of the Korea Football Association from 1993 to 2009 and was also co-chairman of the organising committee of the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup finals.
Lee and Chung will then travel to the annual World Economic Forum in Davos.
Chung is due to host a “Korea night” on Thursday (January 28) during the Forum.
Contact the writer of this story at zib.l1734862222labto1734862222ofdlr1734862222owedi1734862222sni@y1734862222akcam1734862222.nacn1734862222ud1734862222.
Related stories
December 2009: Exclusive – Korea World Cup would help unite country claims bid leader