A former South Korean athlete has been elected to the Athletes' Commission of the International Olympic Committee.

Moon Dae-sung, a taekwondo gold medalist at the 2004 Athens Olympics, finished first among 29 candidates in a vote held at the Olympic village in Beijing on Thursday.

Moon is the first Korean athlete to be elected to an eight-year term on the IOC Athletes' Commission. Two other Korean athletes unsuccessfully sought membership into the international Olympic body in 2002 and 2006.

Commission members have the same rights as other IOC members in selecting host cities for the summer and winter Olympics as well as the events to be included in each.

Created in 1981, the IOC Athletes' Commission is the link between the Olympic athletes and the IOC.

Currently, former Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee is also a member of the IOC.