By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
June 14 – Chung Mong-joon has resigned as chairman of South Korea’s Grand National Party (GNP), allowing him more time to lobby on behalf of his country’s bid to host the 2022 World Cup.
Chung, who had been tipped as a future President of the country, resgined along with other party leaders following the party’s heavy defeats in local elections earlier this month.
The 59-year-old FIFA vice-president has jetted to South Africa where he is busily trying to muster support for Korea’s bid.
A key feature of his pitch is that a World Cup in Korea would help unite the Peninsula.
Chung said: ”A lot of people are asking why we are trying to host the World Cup again after doing it in 2002.
“At that time, our goal to improve relations with Japan, and we were only able to do half.
“We are trying to host it alone for the first time.
“Inter-Korean relations are not good right now, and FIFA should help Korea, the world’s last divided nation, to contribute to unification by hosting the World Cup 12 years from now.”
But Chung admitted that Korea faces tough opposition.
He said: ”Since June 5, I have been meeting with a lot of people here in a bid to host the 2022 World Cup.
“England won the bid to hold the 2012 Summer Olympics, but now it is trying to host the World Cup again, and Brazil, which is hosting the 2014 World Cup, won the bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics.
“It is not easy with all of the advanced nations bidding to hold the World Cup.
“There are about five months left before the World Cup host is decided, and I am meeting with [FIFA] Executive Committee members whenever time permits.”
Chung resigned after the GNP was surprisingly defeated by the opposition parties despite leading in public opinion polls before the local elections.
He is hoping not to suffer another defeat when FIFA picks the host countries for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
Chung said: ”It needs to be like the public opinion polls for the local elections, not the exit polls.”
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