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The International Football Federation (FIFA) has effectively dismissed North Korea's proposal to relocate the venue for the qualifier for the 2010 World Cup against South Korea, which is scheduled to be held in Seoul on June 22.
The Korea Football Association said Wednesday it received an official notice from the FIFA confirming the date, time, venue, and referee of the game. The match will be held at the Seoul World Cup Stadium at 8 p.m. with a Malaysian referee.
North Korea early last month asked the FIFA to move the qualifying match to another country, citing "safety reasons." FIFA inquired with the KFA about safety measures, and made its decision to hold the home match for South Korea in Seoul final. A KFA official said the fact that FIFA assigned the referee and linesmen confirms that the match will be played in Seoul.
In March, another qualifier game between South and North Korea originally planned for Pyongyang was moved to Shanghai, China after North Korea violated FIFA regulations by refusing to raise the South Korean flag and play the South's national anthem. North Korea then argued that the return match should therefore also be played in another country.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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