South Korea's top sports body will see new faces running for its presidency as the current leaders have decided not to enter the race.

Kang Young-joong, who is the co-chief of the integrated Korean Olympic Committee along with Kim Jung-haeng, said Friday he will not enter the sports body's presidential election, scheduled for Oct. 5. Kim also recently hinted at not running for president.

Under the rule, Kang had to resign from his post to enter the election. The KOC code says an incumbent leader seeking presidency must resign before the election committee is formed. The election committee was formed in this morning after the KOC board of directors meeting.

"From the start, I wasn't thinking about becoming president of the merged sports body," Kang said. "My job is to work until the new president is elected."

Kang, formerly head of the Korea Council of Sport for All, and Kim, who previously led the KOC, were inaugurated co-presidents of the integrated body in March and were given their terms until October.

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 be merged in March for the purpose of having an advanced management system and environment in sports. The merged body has been named the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, but the new title will not be officially used until after September.

Meanwhile, the KOC said former table tennis star Ryu Seung-min has been appointed a new board member. The 34-year-old, who won the 2004 Olympic gold in the men's table tennis singles, was elected a member of the International Olympic Committee Athletes' Commission at the Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics last week. (Yonhap)