[Official] Lee Dong-joon and Kim Woo-sung announce the list of K-League referees in the 2026 season, "two main judges are demoted to the second division."

*This content was translated by AI.

The list of referees and vice judges to host the K-League 1 and K-League 2 games in the 2026 season has been confirmed.

On the 6th, the Korea Football Association confirmed and announced the list of referees and vice judges who will host K League 1 and K League 2 and semi-professional K3 and K4 League games. This is the list confirmed by the Korea Football Association's judging committee based on the individual ratings of referees last season and the recent physical fitness test.

A total of 12 referees will play the role of K League 1 referees this season, including Ko Hyung-jin, Kim Dae-yong, Kim Woo-sung, Kim Jong-hyuk, Park Byung-jin, Seol Tae-hwan, Song Min-seok, Shin Yong-joon, Lee Dong-joon, Chae Sang-hyup, Choi Chul-joon and Choi Hyun-jae.

Compared to the same period last year, referees Kim Yong-woo and Choi Kwang-ho were demoted to K League 2, and Choi Chul-joon and Choi Hyun-jae, who were playing in K League 2, were promoted instead.

Judges Ko Hyung-jin, Kim Jong-hyuk, and Kim Woo-sung, as well as referee Lee Dong-joon, who recently won a second term as president of the Korea Professional Football Judgment Council, will also play the whistle on the K League 1 stage this year.

The K League 2 referees will consist of a total of 19 referees, including Ko Min-guk, Kim Jae-hong, Kim Hee-gon, Park Se-jin, Park Jung-ho, Park Jong-myung, Park Jin-ho, Seo Dong-hwan, Ahn Jae-hoon, Oh Hyun-jin, Oh Hyun-jin, Won Myung-hee, Jae-young, Jeong Dong-sik, Jung Soo-soo, Cho Ji-eum and Choi Kyu-hyun, who were demoted from K League 1. Among them, judges Park Se-jin and Oh Hyun-jung are female judges.

Compared to early last year, referees Lee Kyung-soon and Choi Seung-hwan were relegated to the K3 League, and instead, referees Seo Dong-hwan and Hyo Sang-young were promoted from the K3 League to the K League 2. Seventeen referees, including Kim Hee-gon, Jung Dong-sik, and Jo Ji-eum, will play K League 2 games this season following last year.

In addition, the K-League 1 judges were Kwak Seung-soon, Koo Eun-seok, Kim Gye-yong, Kim Ji-wook, Kim Tae-hyung, Park Kyun-yong, Park Sang-joon, Bang Ki-yeol, Song Bong-geun, Yoon Jae-yeol, Lee Young-woon, and Jang Jong-pil, while the K-League 2 judges were Kim Soo-hyun, Kim Yoo-young, Kim Jong-hee, Kim Tae-won, Kim Hyun-jin, Ryu Si-hong, Park Kyu-sam, Park Nam-soo, Baek Seung-min, Seol Gwi-seon, Sung Joo-kyung, Lee Sang-gil, Lee Hwapyeong, Jang Min.

While referees Seol Gwi-seon and Hong Seok-chan, who play the role of assistant referee, were relegated to K League 2, referees Kim Tae-hyung and Lee Young-woon were promoted to K League 1. Judge Shin Jae-hwan, who was the K League 2 deputy referee, was demoted to the K3 League.

The Korea Football Association is in charge of all referees in Korea, including the K-League. The Korea Football Association introduced a referee promotion system from the K League 1 to the K4 League in 2024. After the season is over, it is promoted or demoted according to the rankings according to the cumulative scores of the referees. According to the K League 1 standard, the lowest two players will be demoted according to the cumulative ratings of 12 referees, and on the contrary, the top two players in K League 2 will have a chance to reach K League 1. However, elevations can be made depending on the rating even during the season.

■ K League 1 Referees (12): Ko Hyung-jin, Kim Dae-yong, Kim Woo-sung, Kim Jong-hyuk, Park Byung-jin, Seol Tae-hwan, Song Min-seok, Shin Yong-jun, Lee Dong-jun, Chae Sang-hyup, Choi Chul-jun, Choi Hyun-jae (*promotion trial: Choi Chul-jun, Choi Hyun-jae)

■ K League 1 assistant referee (12): Kwak Seung-soon, Koo Eun-seok, Kim Gye-yong, Kim Ji-wook, Kim Tae-hyung, Park Kyun-yong, Park Sang-joon, Bang Ki-yeol, Song Bong-geun, Yoon Jae-yeol, Lee Young-woon, and Jang Jong-pil (*promoted referee: Kim Tae-hyung, Lee Young-woon)

■ K League 2 Referees (19): Ko Min-guk, Kim Yong-woo, Kim Jae-hong, Kim Hee-gon, Park Se-jin (female), Park Jung-ho, Park Jong-myung, Park Jin-ho, Seo Dong-hwan, Ahn Jae-hoon, Oh Hyun-jung (female), Hyunjin Oh, Won Myung-hee, Hyo Jae-young, Jeong Dong-sik, Jung Soo, Jo Ji-eum, Choi Kwang-ho, Choi Kyu-hyun (*promoted referee: Seo Dong-hwan, Hyo Hyo Young)

■ K League 2 assistant judges (19): Kim Soo-hyun, Kim Yoo-young, Kim Jong-hee, Kim Tae-won, Kim Hyun-jin, Ryu Si-hong, Park Kyu-sam, Park Nam-soo, Baek Seung-min, Seol Gwi-seon, Seongju-kyung, Lee Sang-gil, Lee Hyun-mo, Lee Hwa-pyeong, Jang Min-ho, Joo Hyun-min, Chun Jin-hee, Hong Seok-chan, Hwang Bo-jin-hyun (*Revision: Park Kyu-sam, Baek Seung-min)

■ K3 League Referees (18 players): Kim Ki-hyun, Kim Dong-in, Kim Min-cheol, Kim Yoo-jung (female), Kim Joong-dong, Kim Hyung-jin, Park Young-rok, Lee Kyung-soon, Lee Ji-hyung, Lee Tae-ho, Taehoon Lee, Lim Jung-soo, Choi Ki-chang, Choi Seung-hwan, Choi Il-woo, Hyun Tae-yang, Hwang Dae-ju, Hwang Sun-ik (*Revision: Kim Dong-in, Choi Ki-chang)

■ K3 League assistant judges (17): Kang Ji-joon, Kim Gun-ho, Kim Dong-min, Kim Young-rae, Kim Hak-man, Kim Hong-kyu, Moon Young-min, Park Seo-hyun, Park In-sun, Seo Oh-young, Shin Jae-hwan, Ahn Sung-bae, Lee Kyung-hoo, Lee Yang-woo, Choi Hwi-bin, Hwang Shin-young (*Revision: Kim Gun-ho, Seo Oh-young, As It Is)

■ K4 League Referees (17): Kim Kyung-rok, Kim Young-ho, Kim Jung-ho, Kim Jin-hyo, Ryu Hyun-sung, Moon Yong-geun, Shim Suk-woo, Won Jong-hoon, Lee Kyung-chang, Lee Jong-seo, Lee Jong-ho, Lee Ju-ho, Jeon Taek-soo, Jo Ji-ho, Choi Jung-woo, Jihoon Choi, and Hyun Sung-il (*Advancement Referees: Kim Kyung-rok, Kim Young-ho, Shim Seok-woo, Lee Yoon-seop, Choi Jung-woo)

■ K4 League assistant judges (17): Kang Deok-gu, Kang Joon-ho, Kim Seok-hoon, Kim Yong-il, Kim Joon-hyuk, Moon Sang-woo, Park Byung-hoon, Song Jeong-hwan, Song Chu-gang, Yoo Ki-won, Lee Kun-mo, Lee Seung-wook, Lee Yong-ki, Lee Yong-sung, Jang Won-jun, Han Seung-hee (*Revision: Kim Seok-hoon, Kim Yong-il, Lee Kun-mo)

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*This content was translated by AI.