Table tennis legend Ryu Seung-min to run for Korean Sport & Olympic Committee president

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Table tennis legend Ryu Seung-min to run for Korean Sport & Olympic Committee president

Published: 10 Sep. 2024, 13:18 Updated: 10 Sep. 2024, 17:19

Ryu Seung-min [KOREA TABLE TENNIS ASSOCIATION]

Korea Table Tennis Association (KTTA) Chairman Ryu Seung-min will resign from his position to run for president of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC).

Ryu announced the move Monday, ending five yearts as chairman of the KTTA. His current term was due to finish at the end of this year.

Ryu, 42, is a Korean table tennis legend, having medaled at every major international tournament, including three medals across three Olympics — gold in 2004, bronze in 2008 and silver in 2012.

Since he retired from the sport in 2014, he has taken multiple administrative roles in sports. He became a member of the International Olympic Committee in 2016 and was also a member and Chair of the Athletes’ Commission of the Korean National Olympic Committee from 2016 to 2019.

“I’ve spent 27 years as player and coach from the moment I grabbed a racket at age eight,” Ryu said Monday. “Including eight years as an International Olympic Committee member and KTTA Chairman, I’ve experienced a lot. I was able to gain a wider view on the future of athletes who compete in a society where there are infinite possibilities despite complexities.

“I am keen to contribute for athletes with my priceless experiences and passion for sports.”

Incumbent KSOC President Lee Kee-heung’s second term ends at the end of the year, with an election to take place in January next year

Lee can run for a third term, although he has yet to declare that he will do so. Ryu is the only person to have officially proclaimed a bid to run for the position as of Tuesday.

As the National Olympic Committee of Korea, KSOC is the overarching authority in Korean sports and selects players and teams to represent the country, in addition to raising funds to provide support for athletes competing at the Olympics.

BY KO BONG-JUN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]