South urges talks on joint Korean World Cup
SOUTH Korea’s football association yesterday said it wanted talks with China and Japan about a joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup along with North Korea, an initiative aimed at easing tensions in the region.
The South’s new President Moon Jaein first proposed the ambitious idea to FIFA chief Gianni Infantino in a meeting on Monday, although Korean officials acknowledge China is likely to be lukewarm.
China’s football-mad President Xi Jinping will meet Infantino in Beijing today as the world’s most populous nation harbours ambitions of hosting the World Cup. Xi wants his country to host the global football extravaganza and also hopes China’s national team can one day win the sport’s most prestigious trophy.
Cho Jun-heon, a spokesman for the Korea Football Association (KFA), said: “We want to start discussions with China and Japan on this idea.”
South Korea and Japan co-hosted the 2002 World Cup but a four-way split is unheard of, let alone between two countries – the Koreas – who are technically still at war.
KFA President Chung Mong-gyu told reporters that the North – which does not have formal diplomatic ties with Japan or South Korea – would likely be keen to host if the other countries all agreed to participate.
But China could be cool to the proposal as it apparently wants to host the event alone, Chung added.
Chinese officials have said they want to host the World Cup at the earliest chance, which appears to be 2030.
Speaking at the FIFA meeting on Monday, Moon said sport could play a role in easing tensions in the region.
“If East Asian countries, including the two Koreas, host the World Cup, I think this will help build up peace on the Korean peninsula as well as in the region,” Moon told Infantino, according to the presidential Blue House.
Infantino said he respected Moon’s “vision”, and would discuss the proposal with Xi when he meets in Beijing today, the Blue House statement said.
North Korea has often boycotted sporting events, including the 1988 Seoul Olympics after Seoul rejected Pyongyang’s demand to host the Games jointly.