South Korea Elected as World Anti-Doping Agency Board Member for Fifth Consecutive Term

South Korea has been elected as a board member of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for the fifth consecutive term and will serve as a board member until 2028.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on November 4 that the Korean government has been elected as a board member of WADA, the highest authority in global anti-doping efforts, for the fifth consecutive time.

The WADA Board is the highest decision-making body that deliberates and determines global anti-doping policies and major initiatives. There are a total of four board seats allocated to the Asia region, currently held by South Korea, Japan, China, and Saudi Arabia.

Choi Hwiyoung, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, is taking a commemorative photo after meeting with Witold Banka, President of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), at the National Assembly on August 25.
[Photo by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism]

South Korea served as a WADA board member from the agency’s founding in 1999 until 2006, and after returning to the board in 2014, has been continuously re-elected and remains active to this day. The term for a board member is three years. With this re-election, South Korea will continue to serve as a WADA board member until 2028. The board seat will be held by Kim Daehyun, the Second Vice Minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

In December, the WADA General Assembly will be held in Busan, marking the first time the event will take place in Asia. The WADA General Assembly is the largest international conference in the anti-doping sector, held every six years. This year’s meeting will bring together leaders from international sports organizations, including the WADA President and International Olympic Committee (IOC) members, as well as government representatives from around the world, to discuss the direction and key strategies for global anti-doping policies over the next six years.

A policy official from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism stated, "South Korea’s continued tenure as a WADA board member and the hosting of the General Assembly in Busan will serve as an opportunity to strengthen international cooperation in anti-doping and enhance the integrity and fairness of sports," adding, "The government will actively support the successful hosting of the General Assembly."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.