North and South Korea have agreed to play their World Cup qualifier in China this month following the intervention of FIFA.
The decision to move the match away from the North Korean capital Pyongyang came after South Korea asked FIFA to mediate in the dispute over North Korea’s refusal to let the South play its national anthem and fly its flag before the match.
The countries accepted the compromise, and FIFA faxed an official notification of its decision to the South Korean football body on Friday.
Both countries will use their respective anthems and flags in the game being staged in Shanghai on March 26.
FIFA confirmed the decision, adding that it was made “in the best interests of football.”
In recent years, the two countries have displayed the blue and white “unification flag” and used the traditional song “Arirang” at exhibition sports events.
The two Koreas are in the same group with Turkmenistan and Jordan in the Asian third-round qualifying for the 2010 World Cup.
