President Lee Myung-bak awarded a state medal to International Olympic Committee chief Jacques Rogge on Friday for his contribution to the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in PyeongChang.

Rogge, who has been on a four-day trip here since Wednesday, received the Cheongnyong Medal, the highest medal in the Order of Sport Merit, the presidential office said in a statement.

In Friday's ceremony, Rogge also awarded Lee the Olympic Order in Gold, the highest honor awarded by the IOC, in recognition of his contribution to spreading winter sports in Asia by bringing the

2018 Games to the South Korean alpine town.

Earlier Friday, Rogge met separately with President-elect Park Geun-hye at her office in Seoul for discussions on strengthening cooperation between the IOC and Park's incoming government, according to Park's aides. (Yonhap News)