The Korea Football Association announced Monday that the South Korea-Uzbekistan and North Korea-Japan World Cup qualifiers will be held as scheduled.

Despite unconfirmed reports that as many as hundreds may have died in a massive anti-government protest and ensuing crackdown in Uzbekistan in recent days, the KFA said the events would not likely affect South Korea's June 3rd World Cup preliminary in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent.

Meanwhile, the North Korean squad is expected to show up for a June 8th match with Japan in the Supachalasai National Stadium in Bangkok. FIFA ordered the match to be played in an empty Thai stadium after angry North Korean fans created an uproar in Pyongyang following their team's loss to Iran.

The North Korean football squad led by coach Yoon Jung-soo is reported to have secretly begun an intensive training session in Kunming, China.