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Cheering on the street while watching soccer on giant video screens erected in Gwanghwamun may have to end with FIFA, the World Cup governing body demanding huge amounts in commission for broadcasting rights. FIFA also demanded non-central government bodies, which will hold a series of soccer broadcasting events for their residents to also pay for broadcasting rights.
Gang-dong ward office in Seoul, which recently installed a jumbo screen in an outdoor music center in Cheonho-dong to broadcast all of South Korea's games has had to give this up for financial reasons.
FIFA takes a broadcasting rights commission of W20-W50million per match when it is viewed in "groups" via video screens or multi vision displays. FIFA also bans restaurants or pubs from broadcasting match and this is inviting criticism that it is being too commercialistic. Currently it is unclear whether the screens adjacent to news corporations in Gwanghwamun will be able to broadcast the games or not.
Korea Pool (KP) who bought FIFA broadcasting rights said it would like to allow free broadcasting on the road in consideration of public opinion, but cannot at the moment because it cost several billion won for those who bought the rights and FIFA is standing firm.
Businesses who are supposed to hold world cup broadcasting events such as Hyundai Motor, KT, and SK have reportedly paid a commission of more than W500 million to buy the rights.
Chaos would occur when tens of thousands of people flow into Gwanghwamun to see there is no broadcasting on the road, said university soccer fan Kim Seong-uk. Fans of the Red Devils supporting team head Kwak Hyong-deok said he could not understand why FIFA viewed Korean soccer fans cheering for the team as a commercial event.
(Shin Dong-heun, dhshin@chosun.com )
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