Flash! IOC Vice President Kim Sentenced to 30 Months in Jail for Embezzlement

By Phillip Whitten

SEOUL, South Korea, June 3. A court in Seoul, South Korea, today sentenced Kim Un-yong, suspended vice-president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), to 30 months in prison and fined him 788 million won after he was convicted of embezzlement and other corruption charges, according to Korean news sources.

The charges against Kim grew out of his leadership of the Korean Olympic Committee and the World Taekwondo Federation, but allegations of corruption were first leveled more than a decade ago by British journalist Andrew Jennings in his blockbuster book, Lords of the Rings.

Kim, 73, was suspended from his duties as IOC vice president in January and could face expulsion, pending resolution of his appeal. If the conviction is upheld, it is expected that the IOC will permanently expel Kim.

A longtime IOC member and candidate last year for the organization's presidency, Kim was once the most powerful figure in Korean sports. He was charged with misappropriating funds from a number of sports organizations he chaired, including the World Taekwondo Federation and the General Association of International Sports Federations.

From 1997 through 2002, prosecutors charged, he took 810 million won (US$696,000) in bribes from South Korean sporting goods companies while serving as head of the Korean Olympic Committee.

"Records show Kim embezzled at least 3.3 billion won (US$2,834,000) in public funds and took 788 million won (US$677,800) in bribes when he chaired the international sports organizations, the Seoul Central District presiding judge, Kim Byung-woon, said in his ruling.

"Kim also sent letters to IOC members during prosecution investigation, denouncing the South Korean prosecution of conducting 'politically- motivated probes," Judge Kim said. "His wrongdoings cannot be taken lightly."

However, the judge said Kim deserves some leniency because of his contributions to promoting taekwondo throughout the world and his ill health.

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