“Kim Jung-gil, New Chairman of the Korea Sports Council”

A executive adviser of the Uri Party and the chairman the Korea Taekwondo Association, Kim Jung-gil, was elected as the 35th president of the Korea Sports Council.

Kim became a 4-year head of the athletics section with 29 votes out of a possible 45, defeating the current president of the Korean Olympic Committee, Lee Yun-taek, who received only 16 votes at the general meeting of the Korea Sports Council held at the Olympic Parktel on February 23.

Kim was also elected as president of the Korean Olympic Committee.

After winning the election, Kim said that although he was not perfect, he felt heavy responsibility as the president of the Korea Sports Council at the general meeting over which he presided.

He commented that he felt regretful that he was viewed as having mobilized public power after the prosecution against the candidate, Lee Yun-taek, was revealed to the public prior to the election.

He also added that he will settle down to athletics affairs and would resign from his permanent advisor post of the party and set Lee up as an honorary president in order to heal the complications of the election.

Kim further stated that he will try to increase the athletics budget to one percent of the total national budget for another 10 years and establish a new athletics department, adding that he intends to visit North Korea as a special envoy in order to make a single South and North Korea team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Hwan Soo Zang zangpabo@donga.com