S. Korea Keeps IOC Member With Judo Vote

(ATR) South Korean sports leader Park Yong Sung will head the International Judo Federation for a third term, winning re-election at the IJF Congress in Cairo. The vote assures South Korea of at least two IOC members as the campaign for the 2014 Winter Games gets underway.

Park won 100 votes to rival Marius Vizer's 85. The Romanian is president of the European Judo Union. Reports from Cairo say that the vote was the subject of maneuvering by continental groups, adding hours to election process.

Although a leader of a summer Olympics sport, Park could be an important element of the international campaign of the 2014 Winter Games bid from Pyeongchang. He is one of two IOC members from South Korea, elected in 2002 as a result of his federation presidency.

One uncertainty for Park is the sticky situation he faces in Seoul, where Park is enmeshed in struggles involving his company, the Doosan Group. Part of the problem is fraternal strife over control of the company, while prosecutors are looking at slush fund allegations.

His other IOC colleague from Seoul, Kun Hee Lee, the chairman of Samsung, is also having to deal with charges his company made payments to politicians in the 1990's.

Until the resignation this year of Un Yong Kim, South Korea was one of just a few countries with three IOC members.

South Korea would like to see Korean Olympic Committee President Kim Jung Gil reclaim that third IOC seat, but that could be a long shot for some years to come. More than 60 nominees are on file with the IOC, many from countries without a single IOC membership.The upcoming February session in Turin is expected to bring the first elections for new IOC members in three years.