Korea World Cup organisers unveil mascot names

World Cup organisers in Korea unveiled on Thursday names for the game's mascots based on nearly one million votes cast by soccer fans worldwide.

Names Ato, Nik and Kaz were chosen from over 980,000 ballots cast via the Internet and at McDonald's outlets across Japan and Korea.

The two countries will co-host the 2002 World Cup finals.

"KOWOC organised the naming contest to boost people's participation in the games," Lee Yun-taek, co-chairman of the Korean Organising Committee for the World Cup (KOWOC), told reporters.

The blue, yellow and purple mascots, from an imaginary family of thorny-headed characters called "Spheriks", will be featured on various World Cup memorabilia such as t-shirts, caps and pins.

Some Koreans got their first glimpse of the soccer-playing mascots at an outdoor media gathering in central Seoul.

"It's easy to spot, with very clear colours," said Hwang Young-sun, 30, trying to coddle her infant daughter towards the yellow "Ato".

"I hope the World Cup will be held successfully and that my country wins," she said.

"They're unique-looking," said Kim Koo, 21.

"The names are unusual, but the committee's done a good job," he said.