By Kang Seung-woo
Staff Reporter
Choue Chung-won, the president of the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF), announced Monday that he was running for a place on the International Olympics Committee (IOC).
``To keep Taekwondo in the Olympics permanently and fortify South Korea's diplomatic capability, I have applied to become a committee member,'' Choue, 59, said.
Having already submitted related documents to the IOC on Nov. 20, he plans to fly Tuesday to the ``PEACE & SPORTS'' forum, organized by Prince Albert II of Monaco, to ask IOC members for their support.
For Choue to be appointed, he needs to be recommended at a committee session to be held early next year and approved by the Executive Board in April in Beijing.
If approved by the board, he will be subject to a full IOC secret ballot right before the Beijing Olympics and the decision is made according to the majority of votes cast.
If the Taekwondo chief is selected as an IOC member, he will be the second representative from South Korea.
In early 2000, Korea had three members but former WTF boss and IOC vice president Kim Un-yong resigned in 2005 and in September, Park Yong-sung, who headed the International Judo Federation, also resigned leaving Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee as the lone representative.
Choue, who headed Kyunghee University, has worked as a Korean Olympic Committee (KOC) member.
He was also vice president of the Korean Amateur Athletic Association (KAAA).
Since 2004, he has led the WTF and made efforts to maintain Korea-originated sport as an official event at the 2012 London Olympics.