Volleyball legend Kim Yeon-koung appointed AVC Athletes Commission chair
The Korean volleyball legend will chair the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Athletes Commission and serve as an ambassador through 2028.
Former volleyball player Kim Yeon-koung
ASIAN VOLLEYBALL CONFEDERATION
Korean volleyball legend Kim Yeon-koung has been appointed to lead the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) body representing players across Asia on Monday.
“Asian volleyball icon and newly appointed AVC Board member Kim Yeon-koung will serve as chairperson of the AVC Athletes Commission and AVC Ambassador, bringing one of the continent’s most accomplished and influential players into an expanded leadership role focused on strengthening the voice of athletes and promoting volleyball across Asia,” the AVC said in a statement.
Kim’s two-year term in both positions runs from Tuesday through Sept. 1, 2028. She will also serve as a member of the AVC Board of Administration. The appointment is a welcome development for Korea, which has had relatively few officials serving in international volleyball administration.
“That combination of elite playing experience, leadership and international stature will now take on a new dimension through her work with the AVC,” the AVC said. “As chairperson of the Athletes Commission, Kim will help champion the voices and perspectives of athletes within the Confederation, while her role as AVC Ambassador will see her represent and promote volleyball throughout the continent.”
AVC President Ramon Suzara welcomed Kim’s appointment.
“Your exceptional career, leadership both on and off the court and dedication to the sport make you the ideal representative to champion the voices of our athletes and serve as an ambassador for volleyball across Asia,” Suzara said in the official appointment letter to Kim.
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.
Kim has remained active since retiring from the national team in August 2021. She has been helping broaden interest in volleyball through an MBC variety show "The Wonder Coach" (2025), in which she appears as a rookie coach. She also assisted with club operations as an adviser to the Heungkuk Life Insurance Volleyball Club Pink Spiders.
She also runs the KYK Foundation, which supports promising young athletes and aspiring sports stars. Her new roles as chair of the AVC Athletes Commission and an AVC ambassador will now expand her activities onto the international stage.
AVC is the governing body for volleyball across Asia. Headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand, it is one of five continental confederations under the world governing body, the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball.
BY KIM HYO-KYOUNG [[email protected]]
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.
