Archives

SEOUL, Monday (Reuters) - More than a quarter of a million red-shirted South Korean soccer fans braved driving rain in front of giant television screens in the capital Seoul on Monday to watch a nail-biting 1-1 World Cup draw with the United States.

The National Police Agency estimated some 660,000 people took to the streets at 81 outside sites to watch the match on big screens across a country gripped by soccer fever.

Offices, factories and schools closed early as South Korea's ebullient people took time out to watch the match.

Fans who turned out in Seoul were in high spirits but peaceful as they sang and chanted to the beats of drums and screamed through the emotional ups and downs of a match that ended 1-1 -- a politically neutral result that was a relief to security officials who had feared possible anti-U.S. unrest.

The crowd began congregating at dawn at a central intersection near the U.S. embassy for the biggest public gathering since the million-strong protests that helped remove hated military ruler Chun Doo-hwan 15 years ago.

The red shirts of the Red Devil supporters were outdone by red faces as the U.S. side went ahead in the 24th minute and South Korea's Lee Eul-yong missed the first penalty of the finals, which are being co-hosted with Japan.

An equaliser by heartthrob Ahn Jung-hwan 11 minutes before time restored the faith of a patriotic country of 48 million people.

"I felt bad that we drew because I bet my money on a 2-1 win against the U.S," said 48-year-old Kim Young-ran.

"We did much better than the U.S. but we lost many chances," she said, echoing many compatriots who declared moral victory against a country Koreans love and hate in nearly equal measure. 

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager