'Shuttlecock Legend' Kim Dong-moon Elected as New President of the Korea Badminton Association

‘The Legend of Shuttlecock Doubles’ Professor Kim Dong-moon of Wonkwang University (photo) was elected as the new president of the Badminton Korea Association.

Professor Kim won 64 out of 154 valid votes in the election for the 32nd president of the Badminton Korea Association held on the 23rd at Hotel Sunshine in Dong-gu, Daejeon, defeating current president Kim Taek-gyu (43 votes), Jeon Kyung-hoon, president of the Korea Corporate Badminton Federation (39 votes), and Choi Seung-tak, former president of the Daegu Badminton Association (8 votes). His term will begin at the regular general meeting early next month and last for four years.

Kim Dong-moon Elected as New President of the Badminton Korea Association
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Professor Kim is a badminton legend who won gold medals in mixed doubles at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and men's doubles at the 2004 Athens Olympics. From 1997, he partnered with Professor Na Kyung-min of Korea National Sport University, achieving legendary records such as 70 consecutive international match wins and 14 consecutive tournament championships. He married Professor Na in 2005, and they have a son and a daughter.

Professor Kim pledged key promises including the establishment of a fund management headquarters to improve the treatment of coaches, the development of recreational and school sports, and the enhancement of rights for national team athletes, aiming for the simultaneous growth of recreational and professional sports.

The Badminton Korea Association has been experiencing internal conflicts after An Se-young, who won the gold medal in women's singles at last year's Paris Olympics, criticized the association's management and the national team administration.

Immediately after his election, Professor Kim said, "Many opinions say that badminton has greatly declined and its image has been damaged, but I believe the current crisis is an opportunity for a leap forward." He added, "I will work to improve the perception that recreational and professional sports have not been properly integrated and actively communicate with players, coaches, enthusiasts, and stakeholders."