Seoul, South Korea, June 3 - Kim Un-yong, suspended vice-president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), was sentenced to 30 months in prison and fined 788 million won after being found guilty of embezzlement and other corruption charges. These charges arise from Kim's leadership of the Korean Olympic Committee and the World Taekwondo Federation, with allegations dating back more than a decade. While serving as head of the Korean Olympic Committee, between 1997 and 2002, he took 810 million won in bribes from South Korean sporting goods companies. Despite his contributions to promoting taekwondo, the judge also noted that Kim had embezzled at least 3.3 billion won in public funds and taken 788 million won in bribes while serving as chairman of international sports organizations. Though Kim faces expulsion from the IOC, his ill health and past contributions to promoting taekwondo were also taken into account.
Kim Un-yong was a prominent figure in the world of taekwondo and sports administration. He served as the president of the Korean Taekwondo Association and played a significant role in the formation of the World Taekwondo Federation in 1973. Kim was elected as the first president of the World Taekwondo Federation, where he made efforts to debut taekwondo at the Olympics and helped South Korea host the 1988 Summer Olympics.
However, in 2004, Kim faced legal troubles when he was arrested for embezzlement and bribery charges. He was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison as a result of these charges. Despite his legal troubles, Kim had a long and distinguished career in sports administration. He served in various leadership roles, including as the president of the Korean Olympic Committee, president of the 2002 Pusan Asian Games organization committee, president of the Korea Taekwondo Association, and president of World Taekwondo Headquarters (Kukkiwon). Internationally, he held positions such as president of GAISF, executive board member of the International Olympic Committee, chairman of the IOC Radio and Television Commission, and president of the World Taekwondo Federation.
In recognition of his contributions to the globalization of taekwondo, Kim was posthumously featured on the cover of Tae Kwon Do Life Magazine in December 2017. This honor was dedicated to acknowledging his significant impact on the sport.
Despite his legal issues, Kim Un-yong's influence in the world of taekwondo and sports administration was far-reaching. His efforts in establishing and growing the World Taekwondo Federation, as well as his contributions to bringing taekwondo to the Olympics and promoting the sport globally, solidified his place as an influential figure in the history of taekwondo.
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