Former international soccer referee Mexican Arturo Brizio Carter made a request for an "enjoyable World Cup" in a discussion at an academic seminar held in Dankuk University Friday. Dankuk University's research institute for Asian and American issues hosted the seminar in an effort to heighten understanding about Latin America.

"What is most needed now amongst Koreans is the heart to enjoy the World Cup. I heard that the preparation is in good shape, including stadiums and lodging and traffic facilities. Now why don't you throw your whole body into the football festival," said the veteran referee who has taken part in six World Cup matches. He refereed the opening match of the US World Cup in 1994, and sent a player off in the 1998 France World Cup.

Following his father's footsteps, he started refereeing after graduating from the Law Department of the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, and refereed 50 international matches prior to his resignation in 1998. Working as a lawyer, he is currently also busy working as a soccer commentator at Televisa and a sporting critic

"Soccer is in short a life itself for Latin Americans. It's not an exaggeration that they live thinking of soccer," he said, stressing soccer gives hardworking people the chance to forget about tough reality. He levelled one criticism, however, saying that Latin American soccer is becoming nothing more then a huge soccer show dominated by the logic of capitalism with huge annual salaries and waiver costs.

Even though this is the first visit to Korea, he expressed his impression of Koreans as dynamic movers. "Please make the 2002 World Cup finals as the best of the best through the favorable spirit of fair competition between Seoul and Tokyo," he said.

(Chae Seong-jin, dudmie@chosun.com )