ID :
93731
Tue, 12/08/2009 - 10:55
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/93731
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S. Korea's top Olympic official asks for pardon of ex-Samsung chief
HONG KONG, Dec. 7 (Yonhap) -- The chief of the Korean Olympic Committee on Monday asked the South Korean government to grant a pardon to the convicted former Samsung Group chairman, Lee Kun-hee, to help boost the nation's bid for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.
The 67-year-old Lee voluntarily gave up his rights and duties as an IOC member
following his conviction earlier this year for his involvement in a tax evasion
scandal. His suspended status at the IOC has been considered a drag on the
Olympics bidding efforts by the mountain resort city PyeongChang.
PyeongChang, located some 180km east of Seoul, has already lost to Canada's
Vancouver and Russia's Sochi in its two previous attempts and is now bidding to
host the Winter Olympics in 2018.
"During my tour to Europe, I met several IOC members, who paid considerable
attention to whether or not Lee would be pardoned," said Park Yong-sung, chairman
of the Korean Olympic Committee, said at a press conference in Hong Kong where
the East Asian Games is under way.
"Senior officials particularly hoped to see Lee reinstated, considering that fact
he had greatly contributed to the development of international sports," said
Park, who formerly served as South Korea's IOC member.
His plea was the third of its kind for Lee, following two by the PyeongChang
bidding committee's members last month.
Park also put emphasis on an early pardon so that Lee, still an influential
figure, can extend his support for the bidding competition as early as the 2010
Vancouver Olympics in February. Excluding Lee, South Korea has just one IOC
member -- Moon Dae-sung, an Olympic taekwondo gold medalist.
"We don't have much time for now. Lee should be pardoned by the end of this year,
so he can begin work starting from the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games," Park
said.
The IOC is planning to select the host city of the 2018 Winter Olympics at its
general meeting in 2011 in Durban, South Africa.
ejkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
The 67-year-old Lee voluntarily gave up his rights and duties as an IOC member
following his conviction earlier this year for his involvement in a tax evasion
scandal. His suspended status at the IOC has been considered a drag on the
Olympics bidding efforts by the mountain resort city PyeongChang.
PyeongChang, located some 180km east of Seoul, has already lost to Canada's
Vancouver and Russia's Sochi in its two previous attempts and is now bidding to
host the Winter Olympics in 2018.
"During my tour to Europe, I met several IOC members, who paid considerable
attention to whether or not Lee would be pardoned," said Park Yong-sung, chairman
of the Korean Olympic Committee, said at a press conference in Hong Kong where
the East Asian Games is under way.
"Senior officials particularly hoped to see Lee reinstated, considering that fact
he had greatly contributed to the development of international sports," said
Park, who formerly served as South Korea's IOC member.
His plea was the third of its kind for Lee, following two by the PyeongChang
bidding committee's members last month.
Park also put emphasis on an early pardon so that Lee, still an influential
figure, can extend his support for the bidding competition as early as the 2010
Vancouver Olympics in February. Excluding Lee, South Korea has just one IOC
member -- Moon Dae-sung, an Olympic taekwondo gold medalist.
"We don't have much time for now. Lee should be pardoned by the end of this year,
so he can begin work starting from the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games," Park
said.
The IOC is planning to select the host city of the 2018 Winter Olympics at its
general meeting in 2011 in Durban, South Africa.
ejkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
