SEOUL, 28 January 2004 — International Olympic Committee vice president Kim Un-yong, one of the world’s most powerful sports leaders, was behind bars early today charged with corruption.
The 72-year-old South Korean sports czar was detained when the Seoul District Court ordered his arrest shortly after midnight, court officials said.
Prosecutors had asked the court to allow Kim’s pre-trial detention, accusing him of “embezzlement, bribery and illegal use of foreign currency”.
“The court judge has just issued an arrest warrant for him,” said an official at the court. Wearing a baseball cap and a face mask, Kim made no comment as he was led by investigators to a car, which hurriedly left for the southern outskirts of Seoul where he was to be held.
Kim was suspended from his IOC vice presidency last week after he was grilled by South Korean investigators for his allegedly widespread corruption.
Kim has been accused of accepting more than 500 million won ($427,000) from businessmen in return for helping them win seats on the Korean Olympic Committee.
He is reportedly charged with embezzling nearly four billion won of public funds and about 400 million won of donations by businessmen to taekwondo organizations. He has been questioned concerning allegations he received 600 million won from a South Korean sportswear company after helping it to become an official sponsor for the committee.
Kim also has been accused of using “improper methods” to transfer money abroad, his aide, Shin Dong-soo, said, adding that Kim had rebutted “most of the charges directed against him”.
But the scandal had already undermined Kim’s status as an influential sports administrator.
Earlier this month, Kim resigned from top posts at the World Taekwondo Federation and the Seoul-based World Taekwondo Headquarters. He also stepped down as a national legislator.
The IOC said last week it would suspend Kim from his post as vice president pending the outcome of the inquiry. IOC president Jacques Rogge also ordered the IOC Ethics Commission to investigate Kim.
As a long-time IOC member, Kim played a key role in helping South Korea host the 1988 Seoul Olympics and also helped taekwondo become a medal sport in the Olympics in 2000.
