World Cup Tickets to Be Sold with Actual Names Imprinted

It was reported on Dec. 2 that the government is considering improving the process of issuing group visas and printing the names of the ticket holders imprinted on World Cup tickets to prevent foreigners from attempting to enter the nation for the purpose of illegal stay during World Cup finals.

Above all, the government is reported to have considered designating foreign travel agencies to sell World Cup tickets in groups and apply for group visas for entry into Korea on behalf of ticket buyers, and making the agencies responsible for the tourists` activity during their stay in Korea and for their return after World Cup finals.

In addition, the government is also considering imprinting the names of the ticket holders, which will be manufactured by April 2002, and disallowing the entry if the name of a ticket holder is different that of a ticket buyer.

The government is planning to have a joint-council of ministries and agencies concerned sooner or later , including Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and to provide all-scaled measures for preventing illegal entries as it is predicted that about 100 thousand Chinese, including Korean-Chinese, would visit Korea during the World Cup games.

In addition, the government is also considering issuing temporary visas to World Cup spectators as it is forecasted that applications for entry visa made by foreigners, and Chinese in particular, will be concentrated in May of next year when the distribution of tickets begins.

Temporary visas will feature a stamp, instead of a sticker being currently used, to largely shorten the time for issuing a visa.

"It will be impossible to determine whether or not to issue an entry visa through such a through examination as in the present if there is a rush in over 100 thousand applications in May of next year." said a government official. "The government is anxious to accommodate genuine soccer-fans to the utmost while preventing an entry for the purpose of illegal stay."

Lee Jong-Hoon taylor55@donga.com