With less than two months left until the opening of the 14th Asian Games, Busan is putting final touches on all facilities to successfully host the sports extravaganza for 3.6 million people under the theme of "New Vision, New Asia."

	ˇăThe Asian Games publicity hall where information can be obtained on stadiums, events and tourism.

Sports officials as well as citizens of Busan, the second largest city in Korea, are in joint effort to host the first Asian sports festival of the 21st century on the greatest scale in its history. The Busan Asiad is scheduled for two weeks starting Sept. 29.

President Kim Dae-jung said that Korea, as the host of the safest and the most successful World Cup, should garner its energy once again to make the forthcoming Asian Games a success.

In a video message sent on the occasion of celebrating the opening of Busan City Hall on July 16, Kim said that the Busan Asian Games will be an opportunity to expedite Korea's task to be the leading business hub in East Asia, progressing Asia's prosperity into the 21st century.

	ˇăBusan Asiad Main Stadium

In addition, the Asian Games should be a sports festival that will promote friendship and understanding among the 3.6 billion Asians, Kim said.

Busan is only the second non-capital city to host the Asian Games after Hiroshima, Japan, hosted the games in 1994.

The Busan Asian Games Organizing Committee said on July 24 that a total of 11,260 athletes and executives from 42 countries have confirmed their participation in the Asian sports festival as of July 1.

South Korea will have the largest entry of 1,014 athletes and executives, followed by Japan (1,002) and China (985) while Cambodia will have the smallest entry of 27.

The organizing committee will receive the final entry lists from Asian countries by Aug. 30. The athletes' quarters will be open from Sept. 23 when the teams begin to arrive in Korea.

Asian athletes will compete for medals in 38 sports at venues across the southern part of the country in cities such as Ulsan, Changwon, Masan and Yangsan until Oct. 14.

Two new events - bodybuilding and the modern pentathlon - have been added to the competitions and a fourth weight level was added to women's wrestling.

Among the 43 facilities hosting the games, 12 are newly built. Gangseo Athletic Park, Geumjeong Athletic Park, and Gijang Gymnasium are new facilities for hockey, badminton, fencing, basketball, tennis and volleyball.

The athletes' quarters, which are being built in Haewoondae-gu, Banyeo-dong for 18,000 people, are undergoing finishing touches, with managers having already moved in. Also, 18,000 volunteers are receiving training for the big event.

Tickets went on sale on July 1 and the unlimited admission ticket priced at 70,000 won, allowing access to all 38 sports, was limited to 1,000 and sold out in three days. The tickets for the opening and closing ceremony and soccer finals and semifinals are also increasing in sales from the effect of the World Cup.