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'Full confidence' Korean chief seeks resolution of World Cup logo dispute
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- South Korea's 2002 World Cup organizing committee hopes for a quick resolution of a dispute over the logo on tickets sold in co-host Japan, the head of the committee said Thursday. "I have full confidence that the issue will be resolved very soon," said Chung Mong-joon, head of South Korea's 2002 World Cup organizing committee. He did not elaborate. The official logos are "2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan," "2002 FIFA World Cup" and "FIFA World Cup." Each country can use any of the three forms, Chung said. Japan agreed to that five years ago, in return for hosting the final match in Yokohama, but then last month its organizing committee said it would use "2002 World Cup Japan/Korea" on official documents and tickets sold in Japan. That prompted a furious response. South Koreans still harbor deep feelings about Japan's past colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula. At a meeting with the heads of both organizing committees this week, FIFA stood by the 1996 agreement. Hisao Shuto, a spokesman for Japan's organizing committee, said Thursday that the committee has not changed its position since hearing FIFA's ruling. FIFA also offered a proposal for Japan to study, but did not reveal details. Chung also said South Korea was making good progress in preparing for the world's largest soccer event, noting the construction of 10 new stadiums is 80 percent complete.
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