South Korean prisons will relax their strict curfew to allow inmates to watch World Cup matches on live television, officials said on Friday.

South Korea play Greece on June 12, Argentina on June 17 and Nigeria on June 23 in the group stages.

Inmates who must normally go to bed at bed at 9pm will be allowed to watch the opener and the second match on live television until 11pm, the Korea Correctional Service said.

The third match against Nigeria will be recorded and shown the following day, it said.

The soccer-mad country is installing giant screens at about 200 public squares, stadiums and key city locations nationwide.

Police said they would be on alert Saturday when an estimated two million fans will gather on the streets to cheer on South Korea.

Domestic league clubs will open their stadiums to let fans watch matches on big screens. Multiplex cinemas will broadcast South Korean matches live in 3D.

Transport services will also run late to allow fans to get home during the World Cup period.

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