SEOUL: South Korea’s president has given the go-ahead for a push to host the 2023 Asian Cup finals, the presidential office said, weeks after China decided to relinquish its hosting rights to the tournament. President Yoon Suk-yeol ordered his sports minister to try to secure the event following a dinner meeting on Thursday with football players and officials before the country’s friendly match against Brazil. The decision followed a proposal from Chung Mong-gyu, president of the Korea Football Association, and Lee Young-pyo, a member of South Korea’s men’s team at the 2002 FIFA World Cup where the country reached the semi-finals. China, in mid-May, pulled out of hosting the 2023 Asian Cup finals due to the COVID-19 situation in the country. On Tuesday, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) invited bids to stage the 2023 Asian Cup and set a June 30 deadline to submit an Expression of Interest (EoI). The Japan Football Association said last month it has been informally approached about the possibility of replacing China as hosts. South Korea has not hosted an Asian Cup finals since it hosted in 1960 for the first time. South Korea won the finals then.