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S. Korea approves new Seoul stadium
SEOUL (AP) -- Reversing its position, the government decided today to go ahead with a plan to build a soccer-only stadium in Seoul for the 2002 World Cup.The decision put an end to months of a heated debate on what kind of a stadium South Korea will use for soccer's world premier event that it will co-host with Japan.
Soccer officials welcomed the decision.
"We have been supporting the idea all along. Now that we reached a decision, we have to move on fast as there is not much time left," said Park Jin-bae, a spokesman for the 2002 World Cup organizing committee.
The $244-million Cdn stadium -- where the opening and semifinal matches will be played -- will be built at Sangam-dong, roughly between Kimpo International Airport and a residential area in eastern Seoul, government officials said.
With no stadium in Seoul exclusively for soccer, the previous government had promised to build a brand new stadium in the South Korean capital for the 2002 World Cup.
But the new government of president Kim Dae-jung said earlier this year that it might cancel the plan because of a tight budget for next year in the midst of an economic crisis.
It proposed remodelling a multipurpose stadium under construction in Inchon, west of Seoul or an existing Olympic stadium in southern Seoul.
Soccer officials and fans staged rallies in downtown Seoul to protest the government decision.
Apparently frustrated by the government's earlier move to cancel the stadium plans, Lee Dong-chan, chairman of the organizing committee, offered to resign last month. His replacement has not been announced yet.
Recent polls by local media showed that South Koreans were split on the issue, but the majority of Seoul citizens favor building a new stadium.
Critics said that the government has changed its position to win votes in upcoming local elections in early June.
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