South Korea wants to co-host World Cup with North Korea

Seoul: South Korea’s new liberal president has offered to co-host the 2030 World Cup with rival North Korea and other Northeast Asian countries as part of efforts to promote peace in the region, his office said on Monday.

Moon Jae-in made the proposal during a meeting with Fifa President Gianni Infantino at the presidential Blue House in Seoul, Moon’s office said in a statement.

“If neighbouring Northeast Asian countries including South and North Korea can host the World Cup, I think that would contribute to peace between South and North Korea and in the Northeast Asian region,” Moon told Infantino, according to Moon’s office. “I would like President Infantino to have interests on this matter.”

Infantino was quoted as saying he respects Moon’s idea and that he will talk to Chinese President Xi Jinping about it when the two meet later this week.

China and Japan reportedly want to host World Cup games individually. The organisers of the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, hope North Korea will take part in the Winter Games.

North Korea boycotted the 1986 Asian Games and the 1988 Seoul Olympics, both held in Seoul, but it has since attended other major international sports events held in the South.

South Korea and Japan co-hosted the 2002 World Cup.