The 61-year-old South Korean, first elected in 2004, beat Thailand's WTF vice president and International Olympic Committee member Nat Indrapana following a bitter election that was overshadowed by allegations of vote-buying and dirty tricks.

 

Choue, who was embraced by Indrapana, after it was announced he had won by 104 votes to 45, promised that he would put the election behind him and help work for the future of taekwondo.

 

The sport, which made its Olympic debut at Sydney in 2000, is under threat of being taken off the Olympic programme because of judging rows which overshadowed last year's Games in Beijing.

 

Choue said: "Now, it is time for us to put aside our differences and rivalry.

 

"We are one family sharing the same vision for the progress of taekwondo.

 

"Indrapana made some important suggestions for the future of taekwondo.

 

"With renewed spirit as one, we need to move forward for the further development of our sport of taekwondo.

 

"From this day, I will commit myself to carrying out my campaign pledges step by step.

 

"With the new leadership and new Council, I wish to make the next four years exciting and memorable.

 

"Let us unite for the new chapter of taekwondo history and for the amazing evolution of taekwondo."

 

Meanwhile, Park Sun-jae, the President of the Italian Taekwondo Federation; Ahmed Fouly, President of the African Taekwondo Union and Kamaladdin Heydarov, President of the Azerbaijan Taekwondo Federation were elected as vice-presidents of the WTF.

 

 

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