S. Korean Olympic chief nominated for IOC membership

EOUL, May 23 (Yonhap) -- The head of South Korea's Olympic body has been nominated for membership of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), a major boost for Seoul's efforts to increase its influence in global sports. Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) President Lee Kee-heung was one of 10 candidates proposed for the election by the IOC's Executive Board on Wednesday (local time) in Lausanne, Switzerland. The list was submitted to the IOC Session that will meet in June, also in Lausanne. The vote, usually a formality, is scheduled for June 26. The IOC said seven of the 10 proposed new members are individual members, and Lee is one of three candidates linked to their function within their national Olympic committee or a continental Olympic association. The IOC added that its Members Election Commission took into account candidates' expertise in different domains, such as medical, sociological, legal and sports management, in addition to geographic and gender balance. In all, there are six male and four female candidates. All the proposed members have been vetted by the IOC Ethics Commission, which has conducted integrity checks, the IOC explained. Lee, 64, is in line to become the second South Korean member of the IOC, joining Ryu Seung-min, the 2004 Olympic table tennis champion who was elected to the Athletes' Commission in 2016. jeeho@yna.co.kr (END)