South Korea unveils
World Cup coins

South Korea sought to add some shine to its World Cup preparations on Tuesday by unveiling commemorative coins as part of its build-up to mark the 100-day countdown to soccer's biggest tournament.

Wednesday it will be exactly 100 days before the World Cup starts in Seoul on May 31. South Korea, which will co-host the month-long finals with Japan, plans to drum up festival spirit with cultural performances, concerts and parades.

South Korean organisers hope to ease concerns about what some critics say is a subdued atmosphere -- a mood partly attributed to tensions on the Korean peninsula after U.S. President George W. Bush branded North Korea part of an "axis of evil".

"A variety of events we are preparing will raise the spirit," Lin Byung-taik, chief spokesman for the Korean organising committee, said by telephone. "With the passing of time, things will get better."

Some kind of celebratory event will be held at each of the 10 stadiums South Korea has purpose-built for the finals.

On Wednesday, Nike Inc, the world largest maker of athletic shoes and clothing, will display the kit the South Korean national team will wear during the World Cup games.

President Kim Dae-jung reiterated his concerns about a lack of World Cup fever on Tuesday, calling for concerted efforts to make the soccer event a great success.

CUP BOOM

"Everyone is worried the World Cup boom is not taking place," said Kim.

Bush arrived in Seoul on Tuesday for a visit likely to be dominated by talks on North Korea. World Cup organisers say they are not concerned about Bush overshadowing the 100-day events.

Earlier this month, Kim said some felt South Korea's preparations for the World Cup finals were falling short of expectations. Officials have sought to raise their game.

Kim is in the last year of his single five-year presidential term and has made the World Cup one of his top priorities.

South Korea's top soccer official Chung Mong-joon said on Monday he was not worried about complaints that organisers were not doing enough to fan the World Cup flames.

"The mood will heat up by itself as the opening day of the World Cup approaches," said Chung, who is a vice president of FIFA, soccer's world governing body and co-chairman of the Korean World Cup organising committee.

Chung, who heads the Korea Football Association, brushed aside concerns Bush's visit would take public attention away from the 100-day celebrations, saying Bush's father, a former president, was a soccer player when he was a university student.

Gold and silver coins commemorating the 2002 World Cup finals were unveiled on Tuesday. They feature players in action against the background of South Korea's World Cup stadiums.

A premium set, priced at four million won ($3,050), contains 14 different coins and will be limited to 2002 sets, the organisers said.

About 70 percent of the World Cup coins would be sold domestically and the rest to foreigners, they said.