{"id":2772,"date":"2022-09-05T14:24:16","date_gmt":"2022-09-05T04:54:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theasiangame.net\/?p=2772"},"modified":"2026-09-24T21:59:56","modified_gmt":"2026-09-24T12:29:56","slug":"remembering-korea-japan-2002-the-build-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theasiangame.net\/ro\/remembering-korea-japan-2002-the-build-up\/","title":{"rendered":"Remembering Korea-Japan 2002: The Build Up"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide is-vertically-aligned-center\" style=\"grid-template-columns:20% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1290\" height=\"391\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theasiangame.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/SMC-Logo-and-Sub-Brand-Logos-SEP-01-22-V1_SMC-scaled.jpg?resize=1290%2C391&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2761 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theasiangame.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/SMC-Logo-and-Sub-Brand-Logos-SEP-01-22-V1_SMC-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theasiangame.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/SMC-Logo-and-Sub-Brand-Logos-SEP-01-22-V1_SMC-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C91&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theasiangame.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/SMC-Logo-and-Sub-Brand-Logos-SEP-01-22-V1_SMC-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C310&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theasiangame.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/SMC-Logo-and-Sub-Brand-Logos-SEP-01-22-V1_SMC-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C233&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theasiangame.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/SMC-Logo-and-Sub-Brand-Logos-SEP-01-22-V1_SMC-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C465&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theasiangame.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/SMC-Logo-and-Sub-Brand-Logos-SEP-01-22-V1_SMC-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C620&amp;ssl=1 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1290px) 100vw, 1290px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p style=\"font-size:clamp(14px, 0.875rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.234), 17px);\" class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>The Asian Game&#8217;s coverage of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 is proudly sponsored by SMC.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"the-2002-fifa-world-cup-korea-japan-is-often-remembered-for-brazil-s-record-fifth-title-win-the-first-ever-co-hosting-of-the-tournament-and-korea-republic-s-run-to-the-semi-finals-it-was-all-of-this-and-much-more-and-in-our-three-part-series-the-asian-game-looks-back-at-the-difficult-road-that-led-to-asia-s-first-world-cup-and-the-tournament-s-lasting-legacy\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>The 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea-Japan is often remembered for Brazil\u2019s record fifth title win, the first-ever co-hosting of the tournament and Korea Republic\u2019s run to the semi-finals. It was all of this and much more and in our three-part series The Asian Game looks back at the difficult road that led to Asia\u2019s first World Cup and the tournament\u2019s lasting legacy.<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHaving just received a letter from the Japan Football Association stating that they would be prepared to agree to the joint organisation of the World Cup, as the Korea Republic has already done, and bearing in mind that this was the wish of some of the executive committee members, I now propose that a file for the co-hosting of the 2002 World Cup be opened.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With that proclamation, made in the ornate surroundings of Zurich\u2019s Dolder Grand Hotel, FIFA president Joao Havelange brought down the curtain on one of the most fractious hosting campaigns in sporting history. After more than three years of wrangling and political posturing, South Korea and Japan would be sharing the hosting duties for the 2002 FIFA World Cup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was an unprecedented and historic move, and one which sought to soothe the wounds and bruises administered by two of Asian football\u2019s greatest rivals to one another after a rancorous, bitter battle that went far beyond sport as it dredged up deep-rooted historical grievances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No sporting organisation had ever attempted to host an event the size or scale of the World Cup across two nations, never mind in a pair of countries that had used tactics fair and foul to disparage the other in an attempt to claim the rights to themselves. FIFA were stepping into new territory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cKorea and Japan have an unhappy history, there has been a lack of understanding,\u201d said Dr Chung Mong-joon, president of the Korea Football Association, after the decision had been made to share the World Cup between the two nations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe have been close but distant neighbours. We hope that this can be a milestone to overcoming past problems and have a better relationship in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<a id='HPCGG3_8SWJyEOPPgZ20QA' class='gie-single' href='https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/1145325698' target='_blank' style='color:#a7a7a7;text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal !important;border:none;display:inline-block;'>Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'HPCGG3_8SWJyEOPPgZ20QA',sig:'kEClSwZoom5pmvGnGOTEUIrK7RBYeITecxH8xTr6T-E=',w:'594px',h:'443px',items:'1145325698',caption: false ,tld:'com',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was FIFA executive committee member Chung, a scion of the influential family that owns the Hyundai conglomerate, who had done much to drive a wedge between the two countries throughout a drawn-out and poisonous bidding campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The shrewd US-educated 43-year-old had brought all his political guile and ruthlessness to bear on the campaign to overhaul early favourites Japan and secure his nation a share of the World Cup many in South Korea believed was their right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As the country with Asia\u2019s best World Cup qualifying record \u2013 the Koreans had appeared at the finals in 1954, 1986, 1990 and 1994 \u2013 there was a determination not to be outdone by their neighbours when FIFA opened up the bidding for 2002.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By contrast, the Japanese were the cash-rich new kids on the football block. The country had gained a growing profile in the sport, initially due to advertising agency Dentsu\u2019s increased use of the World Cup as a platform for Japanese companies, and then through the glitz and glamour of the recently launched J.League.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But while the blossoming of Japanese football reflected the game\u2019s global growth in the mid-1990s, concerns were starting to be raised and the stakes were high for the sport during the countdown to FIFA\u2019s World Cup decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNaturally people in both countries are disappointed, especially Japan as they were the front runner for so many years,\u201d said Asian Football Confederation general secretary Peter Velappan. \u201cBut they could have lost everything and they could not afford to do that. If they had not got the World Cup, in five years\u2019 time there would have been no soccer in Japan.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"UK: JAPAN TO COMPETE TO HOST SOCCER WORLD CUP IN 2002\" width=\"1290\" height=\"726\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ghHIBzcMo84?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Velappan, the de facto leader of Asian football for much of the previous two decades, had been at the vanguard of those pushing for co-hosting and his concerns were well founded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While the J.League had kicked off with great fanfare in 1993, several clubs were experiencing financial issues, with fewer of the highly paid foreign stars initially attracted to the league making their way to Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Added to the country\u2019s agonising last-gasp failure to qualify for the 1994 World Cup, Japan\u2019s lack of a football heritage \u2013 they had yet to qualify for their first finals &#8211; as significant as Korea\u2019s meant the political naivety of the country\u2019s bid team was ripe for exploitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Japanese had started the bidding process as the runaway favourites. Havelange had sought to anoint the nation as hosts in the aftermath of the success of the 1994 World Cup in the United States, knowing that the commercial opportunities for FIFA of a Japan-hosted tournament would be significant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the Brazilian had not considered how such a move would play out in the region and the Koreans stepped in with a rival bid, motivated by a long-festering sense of grievance still held over Japan\u2019s occupation of the Korean peninsula during much of the first half of the 20th century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With the Korean government and the might of the <em>Chaebol<\/em> \u2013 the family-owned conglomerates that make up the backbone of the Korean economy \u2013 behind the bid, the country embarked on a global campaign to canvass support as Chung worked in the corridors of power to convince FIFA executives to vote for his nation ahead of the Japanese.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rarely did a day pass without claims and counterclaims filling the pages of newspapers around the world. A vote for Korea, went one line, was a way to show the once all-powerful Havelange he could no longer railroad decisions through FIFA\u2019s executive as he often had in the past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Japanese struggled in the face of Korea\u2019s all-out onslaught and, in the days leading up to the announcement in Zurich, there was a growing realisation that Japan had two choices: accept a co-hosting agreement or lose out completely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<a id='VYOcBVkBRJBTfzTveaUA0w' class='gie-single' href='https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/51499293' target='_blank' style='color:#a7a7a7;text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal !important;border:none;display:inline-block;'>Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'VYOcBVkBRJBTfzTveaUA0w',sig:'Q-QrR8tSEsG9fNchXBp0PRNAOwlbSCYefaeVF_22Z_Q=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'51499293',caption: false ,tld:'com',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Japan Football Association president Ken Naganuma and his cohorts found themselves in an unenviable position before, on the evening of May 30, accepting the inevitable and sending the letter to Havelange effectively conceding defeat. A day later, the FIFA president announced the 2002 World Cup would be co-hosted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rather than bring an end to the friction between the nations, however, the decision dredged up a new set of issues. Any public cordiality was parked outside as FIFA general secretary Sepp Blatter and his administration sought to implement the executive committee\u2019s decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every minor matter turned into a battlefield, with the Koreans often outflanking their Japanese counterparts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No issue was more public-facing than the name of the tournament. Assumptions it would be known as the 2002 FIFA World Cup Japan-Korea were shot down by Chung, who pointed out Korea came before Japan in more of FIFA\u2019s official languages alphabetically. It may seem petty, but for his home audience Chung\u2019s determination to place Korea before Japan was of significance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Koreans also won the fight to host the opening game \u2013 and, importantly for Chung, the FIFA Congress days before the start of the competition \u2013 with the final to be held in Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Neither nation, meanwhile, would give up any of their proposed venues, leaving both countries to play half a World Cup in 10 stadia each, all built out of the public purse in their respective nations. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theasiangame.net\/ro\/korea-still-living-with-unwanted-world-cup-legacy\/\">The legacy of a multitude of white elephant stadiums in remote locations is one both countries still wrestle with today.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the end, though, the wrangling came to an end and the football eventually came into view. On May 31, 2002 \u2013 six years after Havelange\u2019s announcement \u2013 Asia\u2019s first World Cup was ready to kick off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>Part Two of out three-part series looking back at Asia&#8217;s first ever men&#8217;s FIFA World Cup, Korea-Japan 2002, will continue on Wednesday when we take a look at the action of the tournament itself.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>PHOTO: <\/strong>Getty Images<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Listen to Episode 91 of The Asian Game Podcast as we dissect the saga engulfing Iranian football just months out from the FIFA World Cup.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/secure\/theasiangame\/The_Asian_Game_EP911.mp3\"><\/audio><\/figure>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Asian Game&#8217;s coverage of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 is proudly sponsored by SMC. The 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea-Japan is often remembered for Brazil\u2019s record fifth title win, the first-ever co-hosting of the tournament and Korea Republic\u2019s run to the semi-finals. It was all of this and much more and in our [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":2773,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_gspb_post_css":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[94,15,28,512],"class_list":["post-2772","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features","tag-fifa-world-cup","tag-japan","tag-korea-republic","tag-national-teams"],"blocksy_meta":{"styles_descriptor":{"styles":{"desktop":"","tablet":"","mobile":""},"google_fonts":[],"version":8}},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Remembering Korea-Japan 2002: The Build Up - The Asian Game<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theasiangame.net\/ro\/remembering-korea-japan-2002-the-build-up\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"ro_RO\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Remembering Korea-Japan 2002: The Build Up - The Asian Game\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Asian Game&#8217;s coverage of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 is proudly sponsored by SMC. The 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea-Japan is often remembered for Brazil\u2019s record fifth title win, the first-ever co-hosting of the tournament and Korea Republic\u2019s run to the semi-finals. It was all of this and much more and in our [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.theasiangame.net\/ro\/remembering-korea-japan-2002-the-build-up\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Asian Game\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-09-05T04:54:16+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-09-24T12:29:56+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.theasiangame.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/2002-WC.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2048\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1152\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Michael Church\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@https:\/\/twitter.com\/michaelrgchurch\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Michael Church\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theasiangame.net\\\/remembering-korea-japan-2002-the-build-up\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theasiangame.net\\\/remembering-korea-japan-2002-the-build-up\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Michael Church\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theasiangame.net\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/a892cd04f867e21b6a499bd5b64ed7c8\"},\"headline\":\"Remembering Korea-Japan 2002: The Build Up\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-09-05T04:54:16+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-09-24T12:29:56+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theasiangame.net\\\/remembering-korea-japan-2002-the-build-up\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1371,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theasiangame.net\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theasiangame.net\\\/remembering-korea-japan-2002-the-build-up\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/www.theasiangame.net\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/09\\\/2002-WC.jpeg?fit=2048%2C1152&ssl=1\",\"keywords\":[\"FIFA World Cup\",\"Japan\",\"Korea Republic\",\"National Teams\"],\"articleSection\":[\"FEATURE\"],\"inLanguage\":\"ro-RO\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theasiangame.net\\\/remembering-korea-japan-2002-the-build-up\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theasiangame.net\\\/remembering-korea-japan-2002-the-build-up\\\/\",\"name\":\"Remembering Korea-Japan 2002: The Build Up - 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The 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea-Japan is often remembered for Brazil\u2019s record fifth title win, the first-ever co-hosting of the tournament and Korea Republic\u2019s run to the semi-finals. 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