Judoka Jung Su-jin practices during an open training session at the national judo team's media day for the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, held at the Jincheon National Training Center in Jincheon County, North Chungcheong, on Sept. 9.YONHAP
The Korea Judo Association apologized to judoka Jung Su-jin on Monday and pledged to look into her claim that incorrect information from coaches led to her disqualification from the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026.
Jung, who competes for Yong In University, was disqualified last Wednesday after failing a random weigh-in on the day of competition. She had been due to fight in the round of 16 of the women's minus-48-kilogram event at Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, Japan.
"We are keenly aware of the seriousness of Jung Su-jin's personal statement on her weigh-in failure and of the issues being raised," the association said. "Above all, we are very sorry that Jung was unable to compete, and we offer our deepest sympathy for the emotional difficulties she must have gone through in the process."
"We sincerely apologize to the judo community and the public for causing great concern. As the national team is currently competing at the World Championships, we will closely verify the facts after the team returns home."
The World Judo Championships run through Sundayin Baku, Azerbaijan.
"We will use this case as an opportunity to review the national team's athlete management and its operations at international competitions as a whole," the association said.
"In particular, we will closely examine problems that can arise at competition venues, including how athletes selected for weigh-ins are confirmed and notified, and the reporting and communication procedures between athletes and coaches. We will prepare the improvements needed to keep similar cases from happening again."
In judo, athletes weigh in officially the day before they compete, and some are then randomly selected for a second weigh-in on the day of their bouts. The random check allows up to 5 percent over the weight limit, so athletes in the women's minus-48-kilogram class can weigh as much as 50.4 kilograms (111.1 pounds). Jung was 100 grams over.
In a social media post on Sunday, Jung said her disqualification was not a failure of her own weight management but the result of wrong information from the coaching staff.
"I had made weight on the day of competition, but after checking the results of the weigh-in draw, the head coach and an assistant coach told me I was not selected, so I ate," Jung wrote. "Then, 15 minutes before the weigh-in closed, I found out that I had been selected [for the random weigh-in], and because of that I could not compete."
After learning she had been selected, Jung said she threw up what she had eaten and even cut her hair, but still could not make the limit.
"After this happened, the coaches only said they would take responsibility once we were back in Korea, and they were busy coaching the remaining athletes while a lot of criticism was directed at me," Jung wrote. "This morning, as I head back to Korea, the head coach told me that this has to be wrapped up as it is so that it can end quietly."
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.
