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Lee is now awaiting final approval from the country's
ministry of culture, sports and tourism before officially taking
up the role next week.
POCOG said in a statement Lee was expected to begin work on
Monday and begin by making a two-day trip to Pyeongchang and the
coastal city of Gangneung to check on Olympic venues and
preparations.
"The Pyeongchang 2018 Games is a historic project that will
showcase the development of Korea to the world and put
Pyeongchang's name on the map as a major winter sports hub,"
said Lee.
"I will fully devote myself to deliver a successful Games in
2018."
Lee is set to replace Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Yang-ho, who
stepped down last week in order to focus on the management of
the troubled Hanjin shipping business.
While Lee brings little in the way of sports administration
experience to the role, his business ties are likely to help
organisers meet sponsorship targets with Asia's first Winter
Games outside Japan less than two years away.
Lee served as South Korea's trade minister from 2003-06 and has
also held high level positions at the Korea International Trade
Association and Korea Employers Federation.
The sudden departure of previous chief Cho cast a shadow over
preparations for the Games as the 67-year-old had won praise for
bringing in high-level sponsors and getting venue construction
on the right track.
The IOC said it was confident POCOG would continue to work
through preparation issues and that South Korea would host an
"excellent" Winter Games.
(Reporting by Jee Heun Kahn, writing by Peter Rutherford;
Editing by Nick Mulvenney)
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