SEOUL. Oct 9: South Korean World Ctqi organisers launched the 600-day countdown to the start of the 2002 finals Monday with two new officials in charge in a bid to end internal wrangling. reports AFP.

FIFA vice-president Chung Chung Mong-Joon and former Seoul Olympics organiser Lee Yun-Taek were put in control of the Korean World Cup Organising Committee (KAWOC) on Saturday.

With World Cup holders France due to kick off the next finals in Seoul on May 31 2002. South Korea, which is cohosting the finals with Japan, has staked a lot of prestige on getting the event right.

But KAWOC had been without a chief since July when Park Seh-Jik stood down lol-lowiug pnlinr.il rlisput< s with Chung and the government.

Though the appointment of co-chairmen has raised some fears of organisational blockages. Chung, who is also head of the Korean FA. told a press conference: "We can run taster under a twin leadership There will be no discord with Mr Lee.

"There will be no problem with the twin leadership because the committee will listen to the opinion of all members "

Bui both co-chainnen said the government and public should pay more attention to preparations for the soccer cx-i ravaganza.

At the moment the new main stadium in Seoul is still a building site and new bridges seem lo spring up over the main road from Klinpo airport into the capital nearly every day.

Chung insisted that "so far preparations for the World Cup have been smooth "

But a countdown check on the state of preparations in South Korea and rival Japan has shown that Japan is ahead on its building work.

World Cup fever is already building with qualifying games underway in Europe and South America. The draw’ will be held in December 2001.

South Korea and Japan will each stage 32 games in the first World Cup finals to be held in Asia. The opening match is in South Korea and the final in Japan on June 30. 2002.

The Seoul government has divided the 32 games among 10 cities: Seoul. Pusan. Taegu. Inchon. Kwangju. Taejon. Ul-san. Suwon. Chonju and Soguipo on Cheju island.

The Ulsan stadium will be finished by May next year, but most of the other new venues will only be readv in September 2001. giving precious little time for World Cup tests

IdjMii lias two siadiunis finished and 70 percent of the work is done on the remaining seven. The Yokohama venue requires only minor renovations. and the Miyaki stadium was tested in June with an international against Slovakia.

Other tournament sites will be done by next May. giving Japan the needed time to check for any problems.

South Korea also faces problems with accommodation and is nervous about security.

Organisers are working on an estimate that about 75.000 people, including media and tourists, will visit South Korea on any one day during the football finals.

But at the moment, there are just over 50.000 hotel and inn rooms, and only about 35.000 will be available during the World Cup finals.

Japan has about 4.5 times more hotel rooms, according to Korean media reports

Transportation is a concern for South Korea and Japan however.

Both have notorious traffic and the only answer so far raised in South Korea is increased use of public transport.

South Korean olli< ia|s vay thev are not worned about European hooligans. Thev doubt that many will make the long flight to the first World Cup finals in Asia.

But the National Police Administration has started a World Cup planning team to be ready for any surprise visits by violent fans.