ROME. Dec ll: FIFA supremo Sepp Blatter said Sunday North Korea would be given until December 2001 to show they are capable- of hosting matches in the 2002 World Cup, reports AFP.

Blatter, president of world loot ball's governing body, said the door would be left open" for North Korea to stage matches in the tournament, which is being co-hosted by South Korea and Japan.

Blatter said it was not for FIFA to make the first move on the issue, noting that there must be political willingness on the pari of Pyongyang for the groundbreaking move to go ahead.

He said .Japan would be unaffected if anv matches were , hosted by North Korea.

Any matches in North Korea would reduce the number of games in South Korea. It wouldn't affect any of the games in Japan." he said.

North and South Korea have a history of bitter political rivalry and remain technically at war following the 1950-53 conflict on the peninsula.