Nearing age limit as IOC member, S. Korean Olympic chief Lee Kee-heung not chosen for term extension

Nearing his age limit as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Lee Kee-heung, suspended head of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC), will not have his term extended beyond next year.

Following its Executive Board meeting, the IOC on Thursday decided to propose a four-year extension of the term for one member, Spyros Capralos of Greece, who, like Lee, was elected in 2019 and will reach the age limit of 70 in 2025.

The decision will be reached during the 144th IOC Session in Greece in March 2025.

The age limit for IOC members is set at 70 for those elected after December 1999, and their terms are to end on the final day of the year in which they turn 70. Lee will be 70 in January 2025.

A one-time extension of the term, for a maximum of four years beyond 70, can be granted upon recommendation by the IOC Executive Board, and such extensions are mostly given to those deemed to have made special contributions to the Olympic Movement.

Lee was elected in his capacity as president of the KSOC and he must remain as the South Korean Olympic chief to retain his IOC membership.

His future at the KSOC remains murky. He was suspended from his duty by the sports ministry on Nov. 11 after a government inspection team accused him of improper conduct, including illegal hiring practices and misappropriation of funds. Lee still received a green light from the fair play subcommission at the KSOC to pursue his third term in charge of the national Olympic body, but has yet to officially announce his candidacy.

Lee has defied calls to resign as KSOC head and might have tried to build his case for a new term around his IOC membership — that in order for him to remain as an IOC member representing South Korea, he had to be reelected to the top KSOC position.

With Lee out of the picture, International Skating Union President Kim Jae-youl will be the lone South Korean member of the IOC starting in 2026.