Investigation launched into 'biased' referees at Korea-Japan volleyball game

The Korea Sports Ethics Center is investigating claims of biased officiating during a match where the Korean women's volleyball team defeated Japan. Fans have requested disciplinary action against the referee for questionable calls.

Crowds cheer during a match between Korea and Japan during the Jinju International Women’s Volleyball Tournament at Jinju Gymnasium in South Gyeongsang on Aug. 16. [YONHAP]

The Korea Sports Ethics Center, an agency under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, has launched an investigation into claims that the referees made biased decisions in favor of a Korean team in a game against a Japanese team on Saturday.

The center received a formal complaint on Tuesday and has assigned an investigator to look into the matter, Yonhap News Agency reported Wednesday. The match in question was the fourth game of the 2025 Korea Invitational on Saturday at Jinju Gymnasium in South Gyeongsang.

The Korean women’s national volleyball team defeated Japan 3-2 in set scores during the 150th Korea-Japan match, which took place the day after Liberation Day.

However, volleyball fans have condemned the win as a “shameful victory based on biased officiating” and have even filed a report demanding disciplinary action against the referee with the Korea Sports Ethics Center.

Korea’s win came after a full five-set battle, marking its first victory over Japan in nearly four years since the fourth match of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualifiers in 2021.

Had there been no controversy regarding the officiating, the match could have served as a morale booster for Korea’s women’s volleyball team, which has been struggling with confidence after being relegated from the Volleyball Nations League. However, the perception that the team received excessive help from the referee cast a shadow over the result.

Members of the Korean national volleyball team react after scoring against Japan during the Jinju International Women’s Volleyball Tournament at Jinju Gymnasium in South Gyeongsang on Aug. 16. [YONHAP]

One particularly contentious moment came in the fifth set at 11-10, when a Korean serve that appeared to land outside the line was ruled “in” — a call that effectively decided the outcome. The match was played without video review, and the Korean referee consistently made questionable calls in favor of the home team.

On Monday, a volleyball fan filed an official complaint with the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, requesting disciplinary action against the referee and preventive measures to avoid similar incidents in the future. The complaint was forwarded to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, which then assigned the case to the Korea Sports Ethics Center.

While the center typically investigates violations, such as athlete abuse or institutional misconduct, it is unusual for it to handle a case focused on a referee's performance in a specific match.

If the investigation finds wrongdoing, the center may recommend disciplinary action against those involved.

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 MOON SANG-HYEOK [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]