Ryu Seung-min to run for Korean table tennis president

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Ryu Seung-min to run for Korean table tennis president

Ryu Seung-min, the 2004 Olympic gold medalist in table tennis, will run for president at the sport’s national governing body.

Ryu, a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), said Tuesday he has registered his candidacy for the top position at the Korea Table Tennis Association (KTTA).

Ryu will be in the running to succeed Cho Yang-ho, former Hanjin Group chairman who passed away last month. Cho’s term with the KTTA was to run through December 2021.

The deadline to submit his candidacy was Tuesday, and the election is scheduled for May 31.

Ryu, who won the men’s singles title at Athens 2004, has carved out a strong post-playing career as a sports administrator.

He was elected to the IOC’s Athletes’ Commission in 2016 and had served as the KTTA’s vice president before resigning this week to run for president.

Ryu, 36, also played an instrumental role in assembling the unified Korean women’s team at the World Team Table Tennis Championships in Halmstad, Sweden, last May.

Last month, Ryu was elected to the executive committee of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).

Ryu is the first Korean to serve on the ITTF’s key decision-making body in 11 years.

Ryu said throwing his hat into the ring for the KTTA presidency was “the toughest decision I’ve had to make in my life.”

“I am most confident that I can maintain a strong relationship with the ITTF, and I am on top of all the pressing issues in table tennis today,” Ryu said.

“If I am elected president, I will dedicate myself to developing Korean table tennis.”

Yonhap
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