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K League refs under the microscope after inconsistent, controversial calls

Published: 20 Aug. 2025, 13:46 Updated: 20 Aug. 2025, 19:40

The bigscreen displays a message that a goal has been disallowed for offside following a VAR review during a K League 2 match between the Jeonnam Dragons and Gyeongnam FC at Gwangyang Football Stadium in Gwangyang, South Jeolla, on July 12. [K LEAGUE]

Controversial VAR decisions and inconsistent on-field calls have rocked the K League in recent weeks, with players openly questioning the competence and consistency of referees.

Tensions rose during a K League 2 match between the Jeonnam Dragons and Cheonan City FC at Gwangyang Football Stadium in South Jeolla on Aug. 10.

The Dragons' Min Jun-yeong found the back of the net in the 19th minute, but the goal was disallowed after a five-minute VAR review ruled an offside. Broadcast footage, however, showed no clear evidence that the Dragons were in an offside position.

The Korea Football Association’s (KFA) Referees Committee acknowledged on Aug. 14 that the "call had been a mistake." The committee blamed the error on a technical glitch with the VAR camera, which it claimed had distorted the image to appear offside.

Under existing VAR rules, if a technical failure renders the review inconclusive, the referee’s original decision must stand. In the preceding case, the goal should have been allowed.

But the Dragons lost that match 4-3. The KFA, however, said it would not immediately take disciplinary action against the referee but would "take it into account in the end-of-season review."

In a K League 2 match between the Jeonnam Dragons and Cheonan City FC on Aug. 10, referees disallow a goal for an offside despite the VAR screen clearly showing Cheonan City’s last defender keeping the play onside. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

A fixture between the Pohang Steelers and FC Anyang on Aug. 15 ignited controversy over the referee's calls.

Two nearly identical fouls — elbowing an opponent — saw drastically different results: a yellow card for the Steelers' Lee Ho-jae and a red card for FC Anyang’s Kwon Kyung-won.

Foreign players have also voiced concerns over referees' seemingly inconsistent decisions.

“The lack of consistency in the referees’ decisions makes it difficult to prepare for matches,” Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors forward Andrea Compagno said after a match against Daegu FC on Aug. 16.

The KFA took over management of professional referees from the K League in 2020, citing a need to align with “FIFA’s global standards,” but critics argue the structure is failing.

A key concern is the perceived lack of neutrality within the Referees Committee. Both the current and previous heads of the committee, including current chief Moon Jin-hee, are former referees — a setup critics say leads to biased handling of referee misconduct.

Moon further stoked controversy in a recent appearance on a YouTube video, where he said, “Around 10 of the K League 2 head referees were selected to develop future international referees. They are young and inexperienced, which leads to more mistakes. And when those mistakes are publicly exposed, the referees suffer from stress.”

His remarks triggered immediate backlash. Fans and clubs questioned whether K League 2 was being used as a training ground for unqualified referees.

In Korean football, referee licenses range from Grade 5 to Grade 1, with higher-grade officials assigned to higher-tier matches. This system can lead to behind-the-scenes politicking as the referees earn promotion through evaluations from assessors.

The KFA last month launched a new program titled “VAR ON: Reviewing the Call,” meant to increase transparency and communication. But critics say the show functions more as an excuse-making platform than a genuine attempt at reform.

Commentators are calling for Korea to follow the example of the Premier League, where the “Match Officials Mic’d Up” program features full VAR audio and open discussions between former referees and former players like Howard Webb and Michael Owen.

“Even in top-tier leagues, incorrect calls happen,” commentator Han Joon-hee said. “But it’s crucial that referees receive thorough training and that the league creates opportunities for open communication after games, like briefings or forums.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY PARK RIN [[email protected]]