Kim Un-yong, IOC Deputy Chairman, Tentative Suspension of Authority

The International Olympic Committee took a qualification suspension action on Kim Un-yong, IOC deputy chairman of committee, who is undergoing an investigation on personal misappropriations by the prosecution authorities.

On January 24, IOC announced, “The IOC executive committee decided to tentatively suspend Kim’s authority, privilege, and duty as an IOC committee, until Korean prosecution authorities and IOC ethics committee finish the investigation.”

Depending on the result of investigation, it is possible for IOC to permanently dismiss Kim from the committee during the general meeting at Athens, Greece.

Kim has received a rigorous warning for the bribe scandal in 2002 concerning the 19th Olympic Winter Games inducement, and has received a verbal warning against excessive promises before the 2001 election of IOC chairman of committee.

On the other hand, Kim resisted through his lawyer at New York, saying,“ The principle of presumption to be innocent should be followed. The current decision of IOC is too strict.”

Kim, having been issued a warrant on suspicion of misappropriation of government funds, is at the cardiovascular center at Shin-chon Severance Hospital.

Sang-Soo Kim ssoo@donga.com