SEOUL -- South Korean prosecutors have secured a warrant to arrest Kim
Un-yong, vice-president of the International Olympic Committee, in
connection with allegations that he received more than $400,000 US in
bribes, news reports said last night.
The alleged scandal threatens to undermine efforts by the Olympic
movement to clean up its corruption-scarred image, seven months before the Athens Games in August.
Kim, a long-time IOC official who was elected vice-president last July, is accused of granting seats on the Korean Olympic committee to businessmen in return for cash.
He is also suspected of embezzling millions of dollars from the World
Taekwondo Federation (WTF), the governing body of the ancient Korean
martial art, from which he resigned as president last week.
Last year he was accused of secretly campaigning against South Korea's bid for the 2010 Winter Olympics in order to improve his chances of being elected IOC vice-president, but he denied the allegations.
Pyeongchang, South Korea's candidate, lost the games to Vancouver by three votes.
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