*This content was translated by AI.
Trouble surrounding the Korean football refereeing community continues unabated. Following controversies over erroneous calls on the field and authoritarian communication breakdowns, the referees' inappropriate 'words' have now come under scrutiny. Beyond mere distrust of calls, critics point out that the referees' basic qualifications and attitudes toward players and the field itself have plunged into a total crisis.
Most recently, a shocking sexual harassment incident involving insulting remarks erupted in women's industrial football. During a match between Suwon FC Wimin and Seoul City Hall held at Suwon Sports Complex on the 28th, referee Bae Seon-young made inappropriate remarks targeting Ji So-yun via radio communication. When Ji So-yun protested after hearing the remarks, the referee produced a yellow card instead of apologizing and fiddled with a red card in his pocket while adopting an intimidating attitude.
The Korean Football Association's (KFA) response further fueled distrust. Initially, the association drew a line by stating, "We did not use the word 'menstruation'." However, it was revealed that the referees used the euphemism 'Girl's Day,' which refers to menstruation. By avoiding only the direct term while admitting late in the day that they used an identical euphemism with the same intent, the association effectively admitted its mistake. Suwon FC Wimin decided to submit an official letter to the KFA and the Korea Women's Football League to investigate the facts.
Controversy over the referees' inappropriate remarks and behavior is not happening for the first time. Recently, reports surfaced that during a match between Ulsan HD and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, one of the referees told Lee Seung-woo (Jeonbuk), who was engaged in a verbal exchange, "That's just how he is. Let him live like that," sparking public outrage.
Controversies over on-field calls and autocratic game management also reached a peak. During a K League 2 match between Suwon Samsung and Cheongju FC on the 1st, both the referee and the video assistant referee (VAR) missed a penalty kick situation for Suwon. Even a last-minute equalizing goal was canceled due to a questionable foul. While the association admitted the penalty miss as an error in a post-match briefing, it evaded responsibility regarding the goal cancellation by citing only that "it complies with the protocol." Furthermore, there was no apology for the referee's authoritarian behavior of abruptly pulling out a red card for a club staff member who politely asked for an explanation while trying to calm down the players.
Even the leadership responsible for refereeing administration was in continuous disarray. Former KFA Referee Department Head Moon Jin-hee received harsh criticism at a National Assembly hearing on the 30th last month for putting his hands in his pockets and responding in informal language, displaying an arrogant attitude. When criticized for failing to produce World Cup finals referees for 16 consecutive years, he blamed the system, saying, "It's because of the structure that scolds referees when they lose." As allegations of a cartel, including 'self-assignment,' poured out, he submitted his resignation a few days later citing personal reasons and left his post.
The head's irresponsible escape-style resignation, critical errors on the field, authoritarian communication breakdowns, and inappropriate remarks toward players all converged. As long as distrust and attitude controversies persist, which are more frightening than erroneous calls, fan and public distrust of the Korean football refereeing community is not expected to dissipate easily.
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*This content was translated by AI.
