- Title: SOUTH KOREA: SOUTH KOREA CELEBRATES REACHING SECOND ROUND OF THE WORLD CUP
- Date: 14th June 2002
- Summary: SEOUL SOUTH KOREA (JUNE 14, 2002) (REUTERS) HUGE CROWDS ESTIMATED AT MORE THAN 200,000 IN THE CENTRE OF SEOUL. FANS SCREAMING WITH JOY WHEN THEIR TEAM SCORES GIRLS SCREAMING FANS WITH FLAGS IN CARS. INCHON SOUTH KOREA (JUNE 14, 2002) (REUTERS) KOREANS CELEBRATE PORTUGUESE FANS LEAVES STADIUM SOUNDBITE (PORTUGUESE) PORTUGUESE FAN COMMENTS ON DISAPPOINTMENT AT LOSING VARIOUS CELEBRATIONS Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 29th June 2002 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: SEOUL AND INCHON (INCHEON), SOUTH KOREA
- Country: South Korea
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVA345UVJHUO8UC0ZAS82WBD7S9F
- Story Text: South Korea exploded in celebration on Friday after the co-hosts reached the second round of the World Cup for the first time.
At the main intersection of central Seoul, delirious crowds of up to 200,000 cheered Poland's goals against the United States in Taejon almost as loudly as they did Park Ji-sung's left-foot goal which beat a nine-man Portuguese side.
One million South Koreans were expected to watch the group D match on giant public screens across the nation.
South Korea's 1-0 win meant they went through as group winners ahead of the U.S. who lost 3-1 to Poland. Earlier in the day fellow Cup hosts Japan also went through to the last 16.
The Red Devils, the name of the South Korean supporters' club, mobilised hundreds of thousands of fans both at stadiums and in front of the giant outdoor television screens.
President Kim Dae-jung, who has declared himself cheerleader-in-chief for his soccer-crazy country, attended the match, wearing a team-colour red scarf.
Inchon stadium and its surroundings were a sea of red with the 500 Portuguese supporters barely visible in one corner of the 50,000 seat stadium.
In a partisan country of 48 million, some 300 South Koreans were in the awkward position of cheering on Portugal, after being recruited by organisers to show hospitality to foreign teams or deployed by local firms with business ties with Portugal. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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