SEOUL, South Korea (AP) Soccer's governing body accused South Korea's state-run tobacco monopoly Tuesday of using the World Cup to promote cigarette sales.

Korea Tobacco & Ginseng Corp. began selling its "Time 2002" cigarettes Monday. The packs show 10 images of soccer players heading, kicking or tackling.

The company said the images had no commercial purpose and were designed to promote a festive mood for the May 31-June 30 tournament, which will be shared by South Korea and Japan.

But FIFA accused the company of implying an unauthorized relationship with the World Cup.

"Tobacco has no place in football nor in any other sport, and any involvement of any tobacco company is entirely unwanted and actively rejected," FIFA spokesman Keith Cooper said in a statement e-mailed to The Associated Press.

FIFA has signed an agreement with the World Health Organization for a smoke-free World Cup to end cigarette promotion and smoking at the games.

The South Korean company plans to market 10 million packs of the World Cup cigarettes by end of June.

"We are trying to enhance the festive mood to celebrate the international event," company spokesman Park Won-rak said. "We are not trying to use the World Cup to sell more cigarettes."

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