Former IOC member Jang Woong, who led to the achievement of the joint position of the two Koreas in the Olympics, passed away, 'He was 87 years old.'

*This content was translated by AI.

Jang Woong, an honorary member of the North Korean International Olympic Committee (IOC), has died.

"Former IOC member Jang Woong died on the 29th of last month at the age of 87," the IOC said on the 1st (Korea time), adding, "We express our deepest condolences." The Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland, will fly the Olympic flag early for three days, he said.

Born in Pyongyang in 1938, Jang is a former basketball player and has been the captain of the North Korean basketball team for more than 10 years since 1956.

After retirement, he became an administrator. He served as the secretary-general and vice-chairman of the North Korean Olympic Committee, and vice-chairman of the Asian Olympic Council (OCA).

In particular, he has been a global sports mogul for more than 20 years since he was elected to the IOC with the late Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee in 1996.

In 2023, he received the Olympic medal at the IOC General Assembly in recognition of his contributions.

Former member Jang has always worked hard to improve inter-Korean relations through sports.

Jang was the key player in achieving a historic joint inter-Korean position at the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics. This trend led to the joint position of the two Koreas at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.

The IOC evaluated, "Former member Jang's efforts showed the world what the integrated value of sports and the Olympic spirit are."

It also drew a memorandum of understanding between the World Taekwondo Federation (WT) and the North Korean-led International Taekwondo Federation (ITF) during the 2014 Nanjing Summer Youth Olympics.

The IOC decided to raise the Olympic flag early for three days at the Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland, to mourn the former member Jang.

The IOC expressed its condolences, saying, "He has devoted his life to the development of North Korea's sports and the promotion of the Olympic movement," adding, "His contributions to international cooperation and the spread of Olympic values will be remembered for a long time."

Choi Hwi-young, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, expressed his condolences on the news of the death of the late IOC honorary member Jang Ung. This exhibition will be delivered to the North Korean Olympic Committee through the IOC, he said. "The deceased has made a meaningful contribution to the international sports world by devoted his life to the development of the 'Olympic Movement' and the promotion of sports. I will remember your efforts to promote friendship and mutual understanding through sports, especially to spread the value of peace on the Korean Peninsula," he mourned.

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*This content was translated by AI.