Quiet preparation

Soccer fever still missing as South Korea gets ready

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- World Cup banners flapping among cherry blossoms in downtown streets urge people for "hospitality, cleanness and order." Down below, passengers crowd subway stations festooned with larger-than-life pictures of soccer stars.

A stroll through Seoul proves South Korea busy preparing to co-host this summer's World Cup.

But there is one thing glaringly absent: football fever.

"World Cup? I don't hear many people talking about it. As a matter of fact, I don't watch soccer on TV as much as I used to," said Yoon Myong-joon, 51, one of a dozen people sitting in an April sun, leafing through newspapers or chattering on cell phones at a small plaza in Seoul's bustling Chongno district.

The May 31-June 30 tournament, the biggest international event in South Korea since the 1988 Summer Olympics, offers the country a chance to showcase its economy and outshine co-host Japan, its neighbor and former colonial occupier.

Enthusiasm for the sport itself, however, remains moderate.

The pro baseball league opened its season over the weekend with full-house stadiums and live TV broadcasts. But few noticed the pro football league is also in full swing.

Soccer stadiums only attracted 2,000-3,000 fans, contrary to expectations that the co-host role will help soccer reclaim its old glory as the nation's most watched sport. In the 1970s and 80s, military rulers enthusiastically encouraged the sport as a way to perk up nationalist fervor.

Dutch Guus Hiddink's squad did little to perk up a latent soccer zeal. Its record in nine tuneup matches so far this year is two wins, four losses and three scoreless draws. One of the two victories came in a shoot-out.

"It's not too late to try and boost the World Cup mood," President Kim Dae-jung said in late March. "We will be compared to co-host Japan. We must appeal to the people's sense of responsibility and patriotism. We must stress that the World Cup is important for the future of our country."

For the tournament, the country built 10 modern stadiums. Chogye Temple in downtown Seoul, headquarters of South Korean Buddhism, is hanging 2,002 soccer ball-shaped paper lanterns, instead of the usual lotus lanterns, ahead of Buddha's birthday on May 19.

City officials are asking restaurant owners to spiff up their toilets for an expected deluge of visitors.

Riot police battle thrash-throwing fans in mock battles against hooligans.

Taxi drivers are taking a crash course in English.

"Where to, Mister Zidane?" Hong Kyong-yong, 60, a Seoul taxi driver, barked staccato, demonstrating a smattering of English.

He guffawed and added in Korean, "Not that the famous (French) player will ever get to ride my cab."

The proud, ambitious South Koreans get extremely self-conscious of how the world views their country, especially when it's compared with Japan. In 1988, South Koreans responded enthusiastically to a government cleanup campaign before hosting the Olympics.

"There is a broad sentiment that we should not lose to Japan, at least in soccer," says Park Jae-young, a soccer commentator at Seoul's Daily Sports.

When their national team plays in Japan, South Koreans call it an "expedition." If their team is defeated, people lose an appetite, bad-mouth the coach and say that the players should be made to "swim across the Korea Straits" as punishment.

South Koreans dread a nightmare scenario: their team fails again, for the sixth time, to get past the first round, while Japan advances in only its second trip to the tournament.

That would bruise national pride and is feared to sap soccer zeal among South Korean fans during the rest of the tournament. Japan ruled Korea as a colony in 1910-45 and anti-Japanese sentiments still run deep in Korea.

"Let's go to the 16-nation second round. Korea Team Fighting!" a TV commercial says. The English "Fighting" is a Korean equivalent of "Cheers!"

Although South Korea will be playing at home stadiums, the challenge remains daunting. Its national squad has never won one single match at World Cup finals.

South Korea is considered the underdog in Group D, which also includes Portugal, Poland and the United States. Japan plays against Belgium, Russia and Tunisia in Group H, which is considered one of the least competitive.

Under Hiddink, South Korea consolidated its defense and midfield, but goals are still sparse. The team scored only six goals in the nine matches it has played this year.

"South Korea still lacks a seamless transition from defense to offense," said Hur Jong-moo, a former national team coach.

The government advises fans not to expect too much from the national team and instead to focus on becoming a good host.

"The world comes to South Korea, not to watch us advancing to the second round, but to see how well we play our co-host role," said President Kim, who sees the tournament as a chance to boost the economy.

 

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