South Korea

World soccer's governing body FIFA is open to the possibility of North Korea staging matches in the 2002 World Cup finals, which will be jointly hosted by Japan and South Korea, FIFA president Sepp Blatter has said.

The 2002 soccer World Cup, to be hosted in Japan and South Korea, looks set to kick-off earlier than previous tournaments to avoid potentially disruptive weather conditions.

The IOC cannot be expected to help China with any internal issues or foreign disputes during the build-up to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, IOC president Jacques Rogge has said.

South Korea began a 365-day countdown to the start of the 2002 World Cup finals on Thursday, pronouncing its plans almost complete.

FIFA has set up its own marketing company as fears grow for the future of the ISMM Group ? and said it will give the Kirch Group first refusal on TV rights for the 2002 and 2006 World Cups if ISL?s parent company fails to prevent bankruptcy.

Franz Beckenbauer officially opened the offices of the organising committee of the 2006 soccer World Cup on Thursday.

ISL has hit out at any suggestions it is struggling to meet its payments to soccer?s world governing body FIFA ? amid concerns within the marketing firm that it is the victim of a smear campaign.

A FIFA official has said some 2002 World Cup soccer matches could be staged in North Korea after the two Koreas agreed to march under the same flag at the Olympic Games.

Facts about the FIFA vote to decide who stages the 2006 World Cup finals, which will take place on Thursday in Zurich.

South Korean sports site start?ups are proliferating and using US-based sports marketing models, according to a report from The Korean Times.

South Korea's unification ministry has said it was considering a plan to play some 2002 World Cup soccer matches in North Korea.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has resigned as head of Sion's Olympic bid 11 months before the vote to decide which city will host the 2006 Winter Games.

South Korea, hit hard by a financial crisis, has asked Japan for $100 million in loans to build a new stadium for the 2002 World Cup finals, Japanese government sources have said.

Asian soccer chiefs have gaven FIFA until March to avert a regional boycott of the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea by giving Asia the chance of an extra place in the finals.

The world soccer body FIFA and South Korean car maker Hyundai Motor Co have announced a commercial partnership in the run-up to the 2002 World Cup finals to be co-hosted by South Korea and Japan.

Organisers of the 2002 soccer World Cup - to be jointly staged in South Korea and Japan - say they are confident a compromise can be reached to avoid Asia's threatened boycott of the tournament's qualifying rounds.