Unification minister expresses condolences over death of former N. Korean IOC member
North Korea's International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Chang Ung arrives at the airport in Geneva, Switzerland, Jan. 18, 2018. Reuters-Yonhap
Unification Minister Chung Dong-young on Wednesday expressed his condolences over the death of Chang Ung, North Korea's long-serving former member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
In a message on his Facebook page, the minister appreciated Chang's role in promoting peace and coexistence on the Korean Peninsula through sports.
"I remember having a meaningful conversation with Chang over inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation regarding taekwondo when he visited Seoul as the chief of the International Taekwondo Federation in April 2007," Chung said.
"I've appreciated his role in broadening the scope of inter-Korean exchanges on the international sports stage and his contribution to promoting dialogue and communication (between the two Koreas) through sports."
Chang, who served as an IOC member from 1996 to 2018 and later as an honorary member, died at age 87 on Sunday, according to the IOC.
He helped the two Koreas field a unified team at the 1991 World Table Tennis Championships in Chiba, Japan. He also played a role in the joint marches of South and North Korean athletes at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games.