Kim Un-yong, the disgraced South Korean vice president of the International Olympic Committee, or IOC, has been sentenced to two years and six months in jail and fined more than 670,000 US dollars for embezzlement.

　　The Seoul Central District Court said in a ruling Thursday that Kim embezzled over 2.8 million dollars and accepted more than 670,000 dollars in kickbacks while serving as head of various international sports organizations.

　　The court also said it should give Kim a heavy prison term, as he committed the "grave" misconduct of asking other IOC members to send insulting letters to the South Korean judiciary.

　　The court noted that Kim's contributions to the development of South Korea's

　　taekwondo and other sports and his belated apology for his misconduct were considered when reducing the prison term from the prosecution's request for seven years.

　　The IOC Board of Governors decided earlier this year to suspend the 73-year-old Kim's rights, privileges and duties related to his IOC vice presidency.