World Cup Plaza

Ο··· `Priority is Security`. Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA)’s referee seminar progressed on the 20th in tight security. The seminar hosted a total of 120 World Cup personnel, including 36 head referees, 36 assistant referees, FIFA officials, and referee supervisors. After taking measurements for uniforms, the personnel went through a worming-up at the subsidiary stadium of Seoul World Cup Stadium in preparation of the physical test, which is to take place on the 22nd. In the afternoon, FIFA Referees Committee opened unofficially at Swiss Grand Hotel.

Ο··· SBS produced special uniforms for soccer casters and commentators for the first time, in order to boost the World Cup atmosphere. The uniform was specially produced by designer Andre Kim, who mixed red of the national team’s uniform and traditional white.

4 soccer casters, including Song Jae-Ik, and 4 commentators, including Shin Moon-Sun and Kang Shin-Woo, are to appear on TV wearing the uniform. The first public appearance will be at the relay broadcasting of the World Cup preliminary highlights on the 25th.

Ο··· As they began stimulating the soccer boom, Japan’s World Cup host-cities made complaints against various regulations of FIFA, which are set up to protect exclusive rights of official sponsors.

According to Mainichi Shimbun, one of Kansai’s local `grilled-meat` restaurants tried to publish an advertisement that said entrance tickets and return-trip flight tickets will be given out by drawing lots upon eating grilled-meat, but was restrained by JAWOC. Also, agents of training-camp sites that attracted World Cup teams are complaining that their businesses have become disadvantageous since uses of the World Cup trademark and logo were banned.

Keuk-In Bae bae2150@donga.com