Rogge, Elected New IOC Chairman

As the Korean Sports Council Chairman and IOC member Kim Un-Ryong¡¯s dream of `post-Samaranch era` vanishes, Belgian IOC member Jacques Rogge (59) has been elected as the 8th IOC chairman.

At the chairman election in the 112th IOC General Conference held at the World Trade Center in Moscow, Russia at 4 pm yesterday, although Chairman Kim, 70, competed in the close race making the 2nd vote necessary, he had to yield the chairmanship to Rogge, for whom Juan Antonio Samaranch supported.

The IOC Chairman Samaranch, who steps down from his 21 years post as the new chairman is elected, announced the final vote result at 5 pm, ``The New IOC Chairman Dr. Jacques Rogge.``

As Chairman Kim, who could not overcome the disadvantage as an Asian candidate, fails to win the chairmanship at the election, a competition between a white and a colored person, the newly elected IOC Chairman Rogge is to begin his new 8 years term (4 years, double term).

At the election, among 118 IOC members, due to the rule in which members of a candidate¡¯s country cannot vote, 110 members participated in the poll excluding a Korean member, a Hungarian member, 3 Canadian members, and 3 American members.

Although there are two Belgian IOC members, only the candidate Rogge participated.

Zang Hwan-Soo zangpabo@donga.com