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CUP CORNER

AFP, Seoul
While soccer fanatics anxiously await the 2002 World Cup finals to be jointly hosted by Korea and Japan, local businessmen are eagerly anticipating visits by heads of international companies who may help Korea attract more foreign direct investment, the Korea Herald stated.
According to the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy, 50 CEOs of global companies have agreed to visit Seoul during the World Cup finals at the ministry's invitation.
The CEOs of such major companies as Allianz (Henning Schulte-Noelle), BMW (Helmut Panke), Royal Philips (Gerald Kleisterlee), Matsushita (Masayuki Matsushita), Vivendi Water (Olivier Barbaroux), Tractebel (Dirk Beeuwsaert) and Dow Corning (Gary Anderson) are among those coming to Seoul.
"These CEOs and economists will be visiting Korea between May 27 and June 1, and we will make the most of the opportunity to meet and discuss with them such topics as strategies for investing in Korea," the ministry declared.
The list stretches to CEOs of Clark Material (Kevin Reardon), Fairchild (Kirk Pond), Air Product (Mark Bye), Texas Pacific Group (David Bonderman), EDG (William Denton), Armao & Company (Robert Armao), S&P (Robert Richards), Tigerdev Inc. (Francois Prevost), Bachynsky Realty (Richard Bachynsky) and Alstom (Etienne De).
There will also be CEOs from Vinci (Antoine Zacharias, Lafarge (Nicolas Fournier), Egis Project (Robert Calcagno), Stabilus (Michael Gnann), Toray (Katsunosuke Maeda) and Taiheiyo Cement (Kazusuke Imamura).
Other VIP guests confirmed so far include director-general elect of World Trade Organization Supachai Panitchpakdi, winner of the Nobel Prize for Economics in 1999 and Columbia University professor Robert Mundell, and top-level managers from Microsoft, Compaq, Chevron-Texaco, Exxon Mobil, Mirant, Lafarge and Nestle.
"We are particularly enthusiastic about the visits of managers from energy companies like Tractebel, Royal Dutch Shell, BP, Chevron-Texaco, Exxon Mobil and Mirant since they can advise us about our restructuring of the energy/gas sector," the ministry said.
Meanwhile, the commerce ministry has designated May 29 - June 5 as the "Invest-Korea Week" and is planning a number of promotional programs to attract the attention of the visiting foreign investors.
On May 30, the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) will host a "World Business Leaders Round Table 2002" at COEX where it will outline Korea's plans to become the Northeast Asian hub for multinational headquarters and discuss global strategies for achieving the goal.
In addition, the Foreign Companies Association will host the "2002 Seoul Investment Forum" on May 29 at the Inter-Continental Hotel, where internationally famous foreign investment consultants will be invited to speak about investing in Korea.
It will also operate an "Investment Promotion Center" at the Seoul Trade Exhibition Center (SETEC) throughout the week.
These programs will be complemented by projects to promote Korean exports. The ministry will also host an "Exhibition of Korea's Top Products" and an "Export Consultation Event" that will showcase Korea's most popular and promising exportable goods throughout the week.
"The 2002 World Cup Finals is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to promote the country and its products, and we will take full advantage of the event to lure more foreign direct investment and increase exports," the ministry said.
According to the estimations of the ministry, over 400,000 foreign tourists will visit Seoul during the event and that, by end of the World Cup promotion campaigns, Korea will have secured $15 billion worth of FDI.
PARADISE!
Awaji Island, Japan
David Beckham and the rest of the England boys may choose to sample an
array of luxury treatments for aching limbs while staying at a top Japa nese hotel during the World Cup finals.
The five-star Westin hotel on Japan's Awaji island, (500 kilometers ) west of Tokyo, will play host to the squad during the tournament which kicks-off on May 31.
Along with heated toilet seats and "heavenly beds" in each room, the hotel also offers the Westin Body Course massage. The 4,000 yen (31 dollars)-a-go the treatmen pledges to "target to the part that go tired the most," according to a menu of services placed in each bedroom.
Following his recent injury Beckham may opt for the 4,000-yen Westin Foot Course which is "effective to the tiredness of walking dropsy and fatigue of (the sole or knee," the brochure said in erratic English.
Prior to a major match, team manager Sven Goran Eriksson might be tempted to splash ou 8,000 yen for the Pearl Bridge Course massage, which promises "specialised calmly particularly.”