The Korea Times
Chang Ung, North Korea's long-serving member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has died, the committee said on its website Wednesday. He was 87. In a post, the IOC expressed "deep sorrow" over the passing of Chang, who had been an IOC member since 1996 and later served as an honorary member. "Chang devoted his whole life to the development of sports in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and to fostering dialogue within the Olympic Movement," IOC President Kirsty Coventry said in a statement, using North Korea's official name. "His efforts to promote cooperation on the Korean Peninsula demonstrated the power of sport to build bridges and inspire hope," she added. Born in Pyongyang in 1938, Chang began his career as a basketball player before transitioning into coaching and sports education in North Korea. He also held senior positions within the country's Olympic committee for many years. He played notable roles in inter-Korean sports diplomacy, including the launch of the inter-Korean joint table tennis team in 1991. He also facilitated the signing of a memorandum
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