SEOUL, Jan 9: International Olympic Committee (IOC) vice-president Kim Un-yong resigned from the South Korean parliament and senior national sports posts on Friday amid an investigation into bribery and embezzlement scandals.

Kim, in a statement, apologised for what he called his misconduct. Kim has been an IOC member since 1986 and was elected one of four vice-presidents last year. He said he was giving up his seat in the National Assembly and resigning from the presidency of the World Taekwondo Headquarters and the World Taekwondo Federation.

He did not say what he would do about his IOC post in his resignation statement or at a news conference. Kim, 72, has faced weeks of questioning by state prosecutors who are investiging possible financial improprieties involving the South Korean Olympic Committee and the World Taekwondo Federation, which oversees the country's national martial art.

"These suspicions are currently under investigation by legal authorities and the truth will soon come out, but regardless of the facts, I bow my head in deep apology for distressing the nation with my misconduct," Kim said in the statement.-Reuters