President-elect for the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee Ryu Seung-min smiles during a press conference in Seoul, Jan. 16. Yonhap
Newly elected as head of the national Olympic committee, former table tennis star Ryu Seung-min said Thursday he will try to become the hardest-working president in his organization's history.
Ryu won the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) president election Tuesday over Lee Kee-heung, who was pursuing his third term. Ryu earned 417 out of 1,209 votes, while Lee finished with 379 votes.
Ryu's term will officially begin next month and will run through February 2029.
Ryu famously won the men's singles gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics over the then world No. 1 from China, Wang Hao. Ryu remains the last Korean table tennis player to win an Olympic gold. His election victory over Lee is widely regarded as an upset of a similar magnitude.
After his retirement, Ryu served on the Athletes' Commission of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from 2016 to 2024. He was also president of the Korea Table Tennis Association (KTTA) from 2019 to 2024.
At his first press conference since the election victory, Ryu said Thursday he understands the weight of responsibility.
"We've had some great presidents of the KSOC, and I will try to top them all and become the most diligent worker ever," Ryu said. "I know we face a lot of pressing issues in Korean sports. I will have a lot on my plate. And when I am done, I want to be remembered as a president who worked really hard for people in sports."
On Lee's watch, which began in 2016, the relationship between the KSOC and the sports ministry deteriorated significantly, leading to major budget cuts and to the ministry's suspension of Lee in November over a series of misconduct allegations.
Even if Lee had been elected, the ministry would not have certified his victory right away. However, Ryu maintained friendly ties with the ministry during his time as an IOC member and KTTA president, making it likely that the fractured ties between the KSOC and the ministry will be repaired soon.
Ryu said he had met with Sports Minister Yu In-chon and his vice minister, Olympic weightlifting champion Jang Mi-ran, earlier Thursday for some productive dialogue.
"Minister Yu offered to give his full support for the projects we will pursue at the KSOC," Ryu said. "He said he understands the concerns that people in sports have over ties between the ministry and the KSOC and said he will support the new direction for the KSOC."
The race was shaped into a battle between Lee and five anti-Lee candidates. They were expected to split votes and give Lee a relatively easy win. Ryu himself admitted he himself wasn't entirely confident he could pull off the victory.
"This took me back to the Olympic final against Wang Hao. I was congratulated for just reaching the final. It was deja vu," Ryu said with a smile. "But I heard later that some voters had changed their minds and decided to vote for me after hearing my last speech on the day of the election. I wasn't really that nervous because I knew I had done my absolute best."
President-elect for the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee Ryu Seung-min speaks during a press conference in Seoul, Jan. 16. Yonhap
Ryu said he will undertake an internal reform of "high intensity" and help the KSOC move out of a dark tunnel. He noted that the morale at the KSOC is quite low, with its staffers having endured police investigations surrounding Lee's allegations, including that of misuse of official funds and of implementing illegal hiring practices.
"I hope to create a system where we will have voices coming from different sources. Just because I am the president, I don't want to be the center of it all," Ryu said. "Even if it comes from an intern, if we think it's a good idea, we'll be open to it. I think the KSOC has been a passive organization. Do we want to change, or are we going to be changed? If we don't create a culture that allows for proactive changes, then we will waste a precious opportunity."
Many of Ryu's predecessors came from corporate or political backgrounds. He may not have connections in high places that those former presidents had, but Ryu said he isn't concerned about that since he won't go at it alone.
"I will be surrounded by great minds, and I know they will help me make up for whatever disadvantages I may have," Ryu said. "I've already been in touch with corporate leaders and politicians. I will try to build relationships with them and do whatever it takes to ensure the growth of the KSOC and Korean sports."
By losing to Ryu, Lee will also lose his IOC membership. He had been elected in 2019 in his capacity as head of his national Olympic body and will lose his seat now that he is no longer KSOC president.
Conversely, Ryu will now have a chance to become an IOC member in his function as the KSOC president.
Only two days removed from his election win, Ryu said he would not comment on the possibility of running for an IOC seat. He did say his election as KSOC chief should provide continuity for Korea's international sports diplomacy, thanks to his prior experience with the IOC.
Although KSOC president is an unpaid position, Ryu said he wasn't worried about his own bottom line.
"This is the kind of work that you do with philosophy, vision and passion," Ryu said. "I can take care of myself. And if I can help the KSOC grow and increase our budget, then it will be more than good enough for me." (Yonhap)