"The 42nd KOC presidential election, a 42-year-old Yoo Seung Min is running for office!" Former IOC member Yoo Seung Min officially declared his candidacy

Dec 03, 2024

Photo by Ahn Sung-ho, a monthly tabloid reporter

"A 32-year-old Yoo Seung Min is challenging the 42nd president of the Korea Sports Council."

Former IOC member Yoo Seung Min (former president of the Korea Table Tennis Association) officially announced his candidacy for the chairman of the Korea Sports Council. At 10 a.m. on the 3rd at The Plaza Hotel Seoul in Jung-gu, Seoul, former member Yoo held a press conference to officially announce his candidacy for the 42nd president of the Korean Sports Council (with 'Global Hard Worker') and presented his background and vision to lead the development of Korean sports.At the announcement site, some 350 supporters and media, including Kang Moon-soo, former national team general manager, Kim Taek-soo, Mirae Asset Table Tennis Team general manager, Hyun Jung-hwa, Korea Racing Association general manager, Yoo Nam-kyu, Korea Exchange head coach, Oh Sang-eun, Kim Young-ho (fencing), Lee Bae-young (passing), Jung Ji-hyun (wrestling), Jung Jae-eun (tournament), Yoo Yeon-seong (badminton), Han Kyu-chul, Ryu Yoon-ji (swimming), Yoo Myung-woo, Lee Hyung-chul and Cho Seok-hwan (boxing), gathered together. Former Incheon Mayor Ahn Sang-soo, who announced his candidacy for the president of the Korea Sports Association, and former Seongnam FC President Shin Moon-sun, who declared his bid for the president of the Korea Football Association, also attended and attracted attention.

Former member Yoo Seung Min, a gold medalist in men's singles at the 2004 Athens Olympics and the only weighting country in the 2000s, served as an IOC member from 2016 to 2024 after retiring as a player, and has continued his sports diplomacy representing South Korea and the IOC until recently. IOC President Thomas Bach praised him as a "hard worker" at the conclusion of his eight-year term as an IOC athlete at the Paris Olympics last summer, so his strength is his on-site actions and communication skills. Former IOC member Yoo, who took office as president of the Korea Table Tennis Association in May 2019, has shown leadership as a young sports chief by enduring the COVID-19 pandemic crisis and leading the successful hosting of the 2024 Busan World Championships and achieving his best performance in 12 years with mixed doubles and women's team multi-bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Photo by Ahn Sung-ho, a monthly tabloid reporter

Former IOC member Yoo, who came to the podium wearing a uniform at the Paris Olympics, said, `Why should it be now. He also advised me that I have a chance later. But I must be now," he said emphatically. "I've never avoided the game before me. I've never put it off. My great determination and courage conveyed my strong will to become a ray of light for sportsmen who are working silently with their voices hidden in the field. Yoo pledged a leader-, athlete- and employee-centered sports meeting, pointing out that Chairman Lee Ki-heung did not communicate with athletes and leaders at the Paris Olympics disbandment ceremony. "Will it change or will it change. Sportsmen themselves should lead the initiative change and increase their independence and value. "The value of athletes is endless. The value of physical education is also endless. Physical education is the value of connecting the nation with the nation, uniting the people, and spreading dreams and hopes." "Every athlete is a hero. We will produce results through extensive communication with athletes, leaders, referees, club members, and 228 municipalities nationwide and transparent and fair processes"I vowed. "Sports are fun. P.E. is happy. Physical education gives hope. "I want to melt my 25 years of experience as an athlete, 2 years as a leader, and 8 years as an international administrator and head of an athletic organization to share the love I received from athletes while playing with them on the front line." "As an athlete, leader, parent, and administrator, I will create a happy sports world that knows the minds of athletes better than anyone else. I will be a leader of communication and hope, and a leader of action who can make crisis an opportunity and opportunity a greater result. " Yoo also announced six key pledges. ①It suggested joint growth by securing independence of local sports associations and sports organizations ② introducing an all-care system for athletes ③ promoting school sports ④ establishing advanced sports infrastructure through specialization of daily sports ⑤ improving self-sustainability by establishing a global-oriented K-sports ⑥ Korea Sports Association profit platform.

Standing before the number '42', does Yoo know what the number "42 means to me?"I asked the question. " Forty-two-year-old Yoo Seung Min is taking on the challenge of becoming the 42nd president of the Korea Sports CouncilThe words " burst into cheers. "The score that beat Wang Hao in the men's singles final at the 2004 Athens Olympics was 4–2. When everyone said no, I will lead the Korean Sports Council fairly and transparently with that spirit when I crossed the Great Wall"I promised.

Former IOC member Ahn Yoo Seung Min and former Incheon Mayor Ahn Sang-soo greet each other. Photo courtesy = Monthly Tablets reporter Ahn Sung-ho

Photo provided by Ahn Sung-ho, a monthly tabloid reporter

Meanwhile, eight people, including former chairman Yoo Seung Min, current chairman of the Korea Sports Council, Kang Shin-wook, emeritus professor at Dankook University, Kang Tae-sun, former chairman of the Korea Wushu Association, Kim Yong-joo, former secretary-general of the Gangwon Provincial Sports Council, Ahn Sang-soo, former mayor of Incheon, and Oh Joo-young, president of the Korea Sepak Takraw Association, have expressed their intention to challenge.The registration period for presidential candidates is December 24-25, and the campaign will be held for 20 days from the day after registration to the day before the election.

sky4us@sportschosun.com