Ryu Seung-min has won a majority vote to become president of the Korean Table Tennis Association (KTTA) until the end of 2020 following Friday’s elections in Seoul, Korea Republic.

A gold medallist at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, Seung-min takes over the role following the passing of former president Cho Yang-ho in April.

His rise to the KTTA presidency follows his recent inclusion on the ITTF Executive Committee, while the 36-year-old already sits on the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

An inspirational role model in his country, where he has done much to promote the Unified Korean movement whereby players from Korea Republic and North Korea have teamed up in international table tennis competitions over the past year, Seung-min was also heavily involved at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games.

Now as president of the KTTA, his focus inevitably hones in on the 2020 ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships, which will be held in the Korean city of Busan.

“I will do my best to make sure that we stage a very successful World Championships next year in Busan. I will ensure that ties are strengthened through closer communication between the KTTA and the ITTF, making this a win-win situation for both parties.”

Ryu Seung-min, KTTA president and ITTF Executive Committee member