South Korea's new president Moon Jae In has proposed staging the 2030 World Cup with other countries in Northeast Asia, including North Korea, in a meeting with Federation Internationale de Football Association president Gianni Infantino on Monday.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Monday ties with Japan are being blocked by historical issues that will take time to resolve and asked for Japan's understanding on the issue. "I would like President Infantino to have interests on this matter", the South Korean president's spokesperson told the Guardian.
Nikai said he agreed with Moon and hoped the two countries could move forward together, the South's presidential office said. Any flare-up in the long-running dispute over "comfort women" could complicate efforts by Seoul, Tokyo and their ally Washington to cope with North Korea, which has been ramping up weapons tests since previous year in defiance of global sanctions.
The South Korean president has been open to more dialogue with North Korea since he was elected on May 10.
China is allegedly also interested in the 2030 World Cup, and there is speculation as well about a joint bid from Uruguay and Argentina.
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The two Koreas have been divided along the world's most heavily fortified border since the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty.
President Moon Jae-in has met with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who is visiting South Korea for the U-20 World Cup.
"Comments related to relations between South Korea and Japan, including those regarding the comfort women issue, should be made with care", a South Korean foreign ministry official said, in response to Nikai's reported comments.
There is a precedent for such an arrangement, with Japan and South Korea jointly hosting the tournament in 2002.
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