First victim of World Cup. Suicide in South Korea

“I will be a ghost 12th player in South Korea’s team at the World Cup and do everything possible to help it win.” A Korean football fan, named Lee, left a suicide note found at the accident site. The man poured paint thinner over his body and set himself on fire. He dedicated the death to success of South Korean national squad and its coach Guus Hiddink.

The tragedy occurred at a municipal beach of Poussan (South Korea). Eye-witnesses say, before the suicide act the young man bowed several times toward the sea. Judging by his appearance, the man was twenty. According to some sources he was a member of Red Devils, South Korean fan club. Ambulance that came to the accident site could not help the man, and he died of grave burns on the way to hospital. Doctors say, the young man suffered from mental disorder that was even aggravated by a mass psychosis about the Korea-hosted World Cup. Police started investigation of the suicide.

Probably there was little hope that South Korean squad, FIFA-rated as number 41, would beat Portugal on June 14. Earlier “European Brazilians” had lost a game to the USA, and a wounded beast is twice dangerous, as is well known.

Just several hours after Lee’s death South Korean squad achieved a historical victory (1:0) that for the fisrt time in the history guaranteed South Korea participance in the 1/8 of the Cup’s final.

Sergey Yugov PRAVDA.Ru

NTVRu.com photo

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2002/06/15/42690.html