The leaders of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have recommended that IOC Vice President Kim Un-yong be expelled permanently from the organization because of corruption charges.

IOC spokeswoman Giselle Davies said Thursday that the committee's executive board - acting on the ethics commission's recommendation - voted unanimously in a secret ballot to oust the 73-year-old Kim.

A final decision on the matter will be reached in July when the full IOC general assembly convenes in Singapore. A two-thirds vote of the 100-plus members is required for expulsion.

If the IOC votes to oust Kim, he would be the highest-ranking official to be kicked out of the top Olympic body.

Kim was suspended from all of his IOC posts a year ago after his arrest on embezzlement and bribery charges in South Korea.

He was convicted of embezzling from the World Taekwondo Federation, the World Taekwondo Headquarters and other sports organizations he oversaw. He was also convicted of embezzling some 670-thousand U.S. dollars from money donated by South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co.

South Korea's Supreme Court upheld his two-year prison term last month, clearing the way for the IOC to consider expulsion.

Kim has maintained his innocence and has called the charges politically motivated.

One of the most powerful figures in international sports, Kim played a leading role in Seoul's hosting of the 1988 Olympics and was instrumental in getting taekwondo approved as a medal sport starting at the 2000 Sydney Games.