According to the IOC, Won secured 1,176 votes from some 2,393 athletes participating in this year's Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, finishing first among 11 candidates.
The silver medalist at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics became the third South Korean athlete to serve in the role, following Moon Dae-sung, the 2004 Athens Olympic taekwondo champion, and Ryu Seung-min, the 2004 Olympic table tennis gold medalist.
Won is also joining Kim Jae-youl, better known as the husband of conglomerate Samsung's heiress Lee Seo-hyun, as one of only two current South Korean IOC members. Kim was elected in October 2023 in his capacity as president of the International Skating Union (ISU).
Established at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, the IOC Athletes' Commission is elected through a direct vote by fellow athletes for a term of eight years. It has the same rights as other IOC commissions, including the right to vote on summer and winter Olympic host venues.
Won is set to be formally introduced as a new member at the closing ceremony of this year's quadrennial sporting event on Sunday, with his term beginning the following day.
Meanwhile, President Lee Jae Myung congratulated him in a message posted on social media, promising that the government would "actively support his work" for the 23-mbmer commission.
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