Tue Jun 4, 3:32 AM ET

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - Dressed in yellow vests, 30 Falun Gong [practitioners] handed out paper fans and hats to soccer spectators in a provincial city Tuesday, hours before China made its World Cup debut against Costa Rica.

South Korea had promised that it would block any anti-Chinese protests ahead of the match, which fell on the anniversary of the bloody 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Beijing.

"We are here to welcome the Chinese and cheer for them," Kwon Hong-dae, [coordinator] of South Korea's Falun Gong [Association], said in a telephone interview. "We have never opposed China or condemned them."

Kwon said their vests were emblazoned with the slogan: "Victory! China."

"We also wanted to let the Chinese know that they can practice Falun Gong freely in South Korea," Kwon said.

Police did not intervene with the Falun Gong [practitioners'] campaign, he said.

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Falun Gong [practitioners] say they practice peaceful meditation movements that builds health and happiness. They say hundreds of followers have died as a result of police abuse and torture during the crackdown.

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