Soccer-Rival Koreas draw World Cup qualifier on neutral ground

SHANGHAI, March 26 (Reuters) - North and South Korea played out a goalless draw on Wednesday in a World Cup qualifier moved to China after the North had refused to play the anthem and fly the flag of its rival at the original venue of Pyongyang.

The home side had proposed to play a folk song respected on both sides of the border and fly the joint flag the countries march under at Olympic Games but FIFA ordered the match be moved after South Korean officials appealed against the proposal.

Thousands of South Koreans filled the stadium to sing their anthem and unfurl huge flags but their side, including forward Park Ji-sung of Manchester United and Fulham midfielder Seol Ki-hyeon -- were frustrated by a stubborn defence.

North Korea also had chances with forward Jong Tae-se, who plays for Japanese side Kawasaki Frontale, and Hong Yong-jo of Serbia's FK Bezanija coming close to scoring as the teams met for the third time in World Cup qualifiers.

South Korea won the first two meetings between the teams in the qualifying campaigns for the 1990 and 1994 World Cups.

South Korea top Group Three in Asian third round qualifying on four points after thrashing Turkmenistan 4-0 while the North beat Jordan 1-0 in February's opening matches.

The two Koreas, who have yet to sign a peace treaty to officially end their 1950-53 war, state in their respective constitutions that the government on their side of the heavily armed border is the rightful one for the entire peninsula.

South Korea has allowed the North to fly its flag and play its anthem in past home games and hae said they will do so again in June's return World Cup qualifying match in Seoul. (Writing by Jon Herskovitz in Seoul, Editing by Padraic Halpin)