Updated Jun.15,2002 18:57 KST

FIFA Praises Games to Date
FIFA announced Saturday that it will investigate ticket problems relating to the tens of thousands of empty seats at the beginning of the World Cup, according to reuters news agency.

President Joseph Sep Blatter told a press conference in Yokohama, Japan, the organization will try to find out who is responsible and the results will be made open.

Blatter praised this year¡¯s World Cup, saying, the organizing committees and governments of both Korea and Japan had managed the games perfectly. He added the high level matches were taking place in excellent stadiums, making the games successful.

He continued that both the teams of Korea and Japan prepared a long time for the games and their entry into the second round was good for the excitement of the games.

Previously FIFA general secretary Michel Zen-Ruffinen had noted the problem started with pricing the tickets too high after over-estimating the number of foreigners expected to visit Korea.

(Jeon Byoung-keun, bkjeon@chosun.com )