(LEAD) (World Cup) PM orders safety measures over World Cup street cheering

(ATTN: UPDATES with police plan at bottom)

SEOUL, Nov. 28 (Yonhap) -- Prime Minister Han Duck-soo instructed authorities Monday to ensure safety measures for World Cup fans expected to turn up in large numbers for street cheering events as South Korea takes on Ghana later in the day.

Tens of thousands of fans are expected to hold street cheering events in Gwanghwamun in central Seoul to root for South Korea's second World Cup match in Qatar, although the state weather agency has predicted a cold wave and rain later in the day.

"The heads of local governments, and the heads of police and fire departments should inspect crowd management measures in advance in preparation for rain," Han said, according to the Office for Government Policy Coordination.

Police expect more than 30,000 people to turn up for the cheering event in Gwanghwamun alone and plan to deploy about 870 police personnel, including 150 officers and 20 commandoes, to maintain order there, officials said.

Officials said they also plan to deploy police personnel to five other locations in the cities of Incheon, Suwon, Anyang and Uijeongbu, where cheering events are expected to take place.

kdh@yna.co.kr
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