Korean, Japanese all stars to meet world all stars next year

A Korea-Japan pro soccer all-star team will meet the world all-star squad in Yokohama, Japan on Jan. 3.

The pro football associations of the two countries, which will co-host the 2002 World Cup, announced the goodwill match between their all stars and their world counterparts, including Romario of Brazil, in a joint press conference at Tokyo's Prince Hotel Tuesday.

The match, the first of its kind, is being held to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) and to promote cooperation and exchanges between the co-hosts of the 2002 world soccer extravaganza.

Each country will field eight players for the all-star team.

The Korea-Japan all-star team will be co-managed by Cho Kwang-Rae, manager of Korea's Anyang LG, which won this year's Korean pro football championship, and Ardiles of Argentina, manager of J-league champions the Yokohama Mariners.

The two countries will finish selecting their players for the all-star team by Dec. 10. Among the expected Korean players is striker Choi Yong-Soo of Anyang LG.