A B C D
E F G H
South Korea surprises Japan about rescheduling 2002 World Cup
TOKYO (AP) -- Japanese organizers said today they were surprised by claims from South Korea, co-host with Japan of the 2002 World Cup, that soccer's biggest event may be rescheduled.On Thursday, South Korean Prime Minister Kim Jong-pil said discussions were underway with soccer's world governing body FIFA to postpone the World Cup, usually staged in June and July, until September to avoid the rainy season in Asia.
"We are utterly surprised," said organizing committee spokesman Ryo Nishimura in Tokyo. "The discussions on the dates haven't even started yet."
In Zurich, FIFA spokesman Keith Cooper said, "We know absolutely nothing about this at all."
In remarks to reporters in Seoul, Kim also said that Japan had already discussed the issue with FIFA and had obtained a positive response.
Nishimura denied the topic ever came up in talks between Japan and FIFA.
NEXT ROUNDS: Round of 16 || Quarter-finals || Semi-finals
GROUP A: Brazil, Morocco, Norway, Scotland
GROUP B: Austria, Cameroon, Chile, Italy
GROUP C: Denmark, France, Saudi Arabia, South Africa
GROUP D: Bulgaria, Nigeria, Paraguay, Spain
GROUP E: Belgium, Holland, Mexico, South Korea
GROUP F: Germany, Iran, United States, Yugoslavia
GROUP G: Colombia, England, Romania, Tunisia
GROUP H: Argentina, Croatia, Jamaica, Japan