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Volleyball legend Kim Yeon-koung honored by IOC for gender equality efforts

Published: 10 Mar. 2026, 13:14

Former volleyball player Kim Yeon-koung is the Asian recipient for the International Olympic Committee's 2025 Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Champions Awards. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Volleyball legend Kim Yeon-koung has won the Asia regional prize at the International Olympic Committee’s Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Champions Awards, the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee said Tuesday.

The award recognizes individuals or organizations that promote gender equality, diversity and inclusion through sports. Winners are selected globally and across regions.

Kim represented Korea’s women’s national volleyball team at three Olympic Games: London 2012, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. At the London Olympics, she led Korea to the semifinals and won the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award, an unusual honor for a player from a fourth-place team. She also helped the team reach the semifinals at the Tokyo Games.
After retiring from professional play, Kim established the KYK Foundation to support youth athletes and expand participation in sports.

The foundation runs scholarship and training programs for young athletes facing financial difficulties, with a focus on lowering barriers for girls’ participation in sports. It also organizes a nationwide middle school volleyball tournament, provides equipment to school volleyball teams and runs youth volleyball clinics to expand opportunities for young players and support grassroots sports.

Kim Yeon-koung, chair of the KYK Foundation [KOREAN SPORT & OLYMPIC COMMITTEE]

Kim has also worked to help female athletes continue their careers and move into leadership roles. Through the MBC show “The Wonder Coach” (2025), she provided technical training and mentoring to retired female athletes seeking to become coaches.

She has also served as a promotional ambassador for the International Volleyball Federation and for the World Anti-Doping Agency's World Conference on Doping in Sport, promoting education for athletes, fair competition and safe sports environments.

“Chair Kim Yeon-koung’s award is a meaningful achievement that shows her efforts to promote the values of gender equality and inclusion through sport have been recognized internationally,” said Korean Sport & Olympic Committee President Ryu Seung-min.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JEONG JAE-HONG [[email protected]]