Ryu Seung-min, a candidate in the election for president of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, gives a speech before the election at the Olympic Hall inside Olympic Park in Seoul, Tuesady. (Yonhap)
Ryu Seung-min, a candidate in the election for president of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, gives a speech before the election at the Olympic Hall inside Olympic Park in Seoul, Tuesady. (Yonhap)

Former Olympic table tennis champion Ryu Seung-min was elected as head of the South Korean Olympic committee Tuesday.

Ryu earned 417 votes from 1,209 voters to become the new president of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, denying incumbent Lee Kee-heung a third term.

The election appeared in danger of being postponed when a group of 11 voters, led by Korea Ice Hockey Association President Lee Ho-jin, and an election candidate Kang Shin-wook each filed for an injunction to halt the proceedings last Wednesday.

They cited a number of procedural issues with the election, including the location of the vote and the composition of the electoral college.

However, the Seoul Eastern District Court dismissed them on the eve of the vote, allowing the election to take place as scheduled.