International recognition for promoting gender equality and inclusion through sport
The Korea Sports Association (President Yoo Seung-min) announced on March 10 that Kim Yeon-koung, a former member of South Korea's women's national volleyball team and chair of the KYK Foundation, has been named the Asia regional winner of the International Olympic Committee's Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Champions Awards (GEDI Champions Awards).
The IOC's GEDI Champions Awards honor individuals and organizations that use sport to advance gender equality, diversity and inclusion. Winners are selected to represent both the global community and each continent.
Kim was chosen for her sustained efforts since retiring from competition to expand opportunities for female athletes, strengthen leadership pathways, and help create safer, fairer sporting environments.
After founding the KYK Foundation in 2024, Kim has built a structured program to support young athletes and boost participation. The foundation operates scholarship and training support programs for youth facing financial barriers, with a particular emphasis on reducing the obstacles that female athletes often encounter so they can remain engaged in sport.
The foundation also broadens access to play and strengthens community-level sport by staging a nationwide middle school volleyball tournament, supplying equipment to school teams, and running youth clinics across the country.
Kim has been active in helping female athletes sustain their careers and step into leadership roles. Through the TV series "Rookie Coach Kim Yeon-koung," she offers technical coaching and mentoring to players who have retired or left their teams, supporting their transition into coaching and other roles within sport.
She has taken part in international initiatives as an FIVB ambassador and as a promotional ambassador for WADA's global conference, consistently stressing the importance of athlete education, fair play, and safe competition environments.
On the court, Kim's world-class performances raised South Korea's standing in women's volleyball and increased public interest in women's sports. She was named MVP at the 2012 London Olympics and represented her country in three Olympic Games, delivering sustained success on the global stage.
Yoo Seung-min said, "Kim Yeon-koung's award is a meaningful, international recognition of her work promoting gender equality and inclusion through sport. We will continue to push for efforts that make sport a platform for advancing social values."
© Dailian Co. Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited
