The co-leaders of the integrated national sports body said Wednesday that the merger of two sports bodies will further enhance the country's effort to develop sports.

Kim Jung-haeng, president of the Korean Olympic Committee (KOC), and Kang Young-joong, head of the Korea Council of Sport for All (KOCOSA), were inaugurated as co-presidents of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) and began their work on Wednesday after a ceremony in Seoul.

The KSOC was officially founded on Monday after the legal paperwork was approved. Under domestic law, the KOC, which oversees the country's sports in general and elite athletes for competitive events, and the KOCOSA, which aims to promote daily sports and a healthy lifestyle for every South Korean, had to complete their merger by Sunday.

Kim and Kang will serve as co-presidents of the integrated body until late October, when the election for the new KSOC president will take place.

The co-presidents emphasized in their inauguration ceremony that the merger will spark the country's effort to have an advanced management system and environment in sports.

"The merger on Monday signaled a new start of South Korea's sports," said Kim. "We have recovered the status and function of a sports body that can oversee all sports areas of the country."

Kang also acknowledged that the merger between the 96-year-old KOC and the KOCOSA, which was founded in 1991, will open a new era in the country's sports, with South Korea at a critical turning point.

"In order to improve competitiveness in each sport and support the healthy lives of South Koreans, connecting elite sports and daily sports is essential and it is a tide of our times," Kang said.

However, both leaders said they are still tuning up minor details in the newly integrated body. Personnel appointments and re-shuffles already took place on Saturday, and employees from the two bodies have been working together in the same office this week.

"There are lot of talks (about our operation), but what's important is that the two sports bodies agreed with each other and made a working system," Kim said. "I will take care of what's related to the Olympics, and other projects will be processed after having discussions." (Yonhap)