Seoul: Former Olympic table tennis champion Ryu Seung-min was elected as head of the South Korean Olympic committee Tuesday. In a surprising turn of events, Ryu secured 417 votes from 1,209 voters, becoming the new president of the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee. This victory denied incumbent Lee Kee-heung a third term, as Lee finished second among six candidates with 379 votes.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Ryu won the men’s singles gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics. In his post-athletic career, Ryu served as a member of the International Olympic Committee from 2016 to 2024 and was the president of the Korea Table Tennis Association.
Ryu’s campaign focused on restoring transparency to South Korean sports, a move that gained traction amid misconduct allegations against Lee. Ryu, 42, expressed a strong sense of responsibility following his victory. He emphasized the need for collaboration within the sports community to address pressing issues.
The election faced potential delays when a group of 11 voters, led by Korea Ice Hockey Association President Lee Ho-jin, and election candidate Kang Shin-wook filed for an injunction to halt the proceedings. They raised concerns over procedural issues, including the vote’s location and the electoral college’s composition. However, the Seoul Eastern District Court dismissed these claims, allowing the election to proceed as planned.