World Cup D-200 Days

The `ball festival of dream`, 2002 World Cup is 200 days away from its grand opening.

For the successful host of the World Cup, the Korean Organizing Committee for the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan (KOWOC) holds the national flag hoisting ceremony at the Seoul City Hall plaza on 11 o`clock today, D-200 days, inviting the ambassadors in Korea of 23 countries that currently earned the World Cup berths, the executive committee members of the FIFA, and officials of the JAWOC.

Meanwhile, the FIFA investigation team expressed yesterday the satisfaction on facilities and traffics in the press conference after examining the stadiums in Korea.

Led by Vice President of FIFA Antonio Matarrese, the FIFA investigation team said, ``We were so impressed with the enthusiasm of Korean soccer fans and the excellent facilities after examining 5 stadiums including the Seoul Stadium, and the soccer training center in Pajoo.``

With the opening of the Seoul Sangam Stadium, 8 stadiums were completed among 10 stadiums. If the Kwangju World Cup Stadium and the Seoguipo World Cup Stadium have the opening ceremony on Nov. 13th and Dec. 9th respectively, the stadiums, which are the hardware of the 2002 World Cup, will be all prepared.

And all 32 final-round competitors will be confirmed before the end of November, and the lottery to decide the group will be held on Dec. 1st in the presence of soccer celebrities such as Pele and Franz Beckenbauer, and the foreign and domestic soccer officials.

stt77@donga.com