Korean Football Rocked by VAR Leak Scandal: Did a KFA Instructor Cross the Line?

When Trust in Referees Crumbles

Imagine spending an entire season fighting for promotion, only to see your dreams crushed by a missed handball call. Now imagine discovering that a referee instructor leaked confidential VAR footage of that very moment, instructing others to protest through backdoor channels. This isnt a conspiracy theory - its exactly what happened in Korean football, and its sending shockwaves through the entire sports community.

The Korea Sports Ethics Center has officially requested the Korea Football Association to take disciplinary action against a senior referee instructor who allegedly violated confidentiality protocols. The instructor leaked internal VAR footage from a controversial 2022 K League promotion playoff match between Suwon Samsung and FC Anyang, according to reports confirmed in October 2025. What makes this case particularly disturbing is not just the leak itself, but the coordinated instructions that followed, raising serious questions about the integrity of Korean footballs officiating system.

The Handball That Changed Everything

The controversy centers on the October 29, 2022 playoff match - a high-stakes second leg where FC Anyang desperately needed a victory to secure promotion to K League 1. After a scoreless first leg, Anyang faced Suwon Samsung with everything on the line. In the 49th minute and 4th second, Anyangs Baek Seong-dong delivered a cross into the penalty area where the ball clearly struck Suwons Go Myung-seoks raised arm.

Video evidence obtained by STN Sports shows the Suwon players arm was extended upward in an unnatural position - what most observers would consider an obvious handball penalty. Yet the referee neither awarded a penalty kick nor consulted VAR for review. The match continued, and Anyang ultimately lost 1-2, ending their promotion dreams. For a club that had fought all season for this opportunity, the non-call was devastating. The missed penalty could have completely altered the matches outcome, potentially changing Anyangs entire trajectory.

The Leak and the Cover-Up Attempt

What happened after the match is where this story takes a darker turn. According to conversations obtained by STN Sports, a KFA senior referee instructor accessed and leaked confidential VAR footage that was never broadcast publicly - footage that clearly showed the handball incident. This internal material is strictly prohibited from external distribution under KFA regulations. But the instructor didnt stop at merely leaking the footage.

The leaked conversations reveal that the instructor specifically instructed a junior referee to deliver the VAR footage to FC Anyang officials and encouraged them to file formal complaints with the Korea Professional Football League. Even more shocking, the instructor allegedly suggested that if the situation didnt develop favorably, Anyang should consider requesting a rematch by filing a complaint with FIFA. The Korea Sports Ethics Center, operating under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, cited Article 18-4 of the National Sports Promotion Act as grounds for their intervention - a law requiring sports officials to report suspected ethics violations or face fines.

Why This Matters Beyond One Match

This scandal arrives at a particularly sensitive moment for Korean football. Throughout 2025, K League has been plagued by controversial referee decisions and eroding public trust in officiating. In August 2025, a VAR technical glitch led to an incorrect offside call in a Jeonnam Dragons match, with the KFA Referees Committee awkwardly blaming camera calibration errors. FC Anyang owner Choi Dae-ho held a press conference in May 2025 claiming smaller clubs consistently receive unfair treatment from referees compared to corporate-backed teams - allegations that resulted in disciplinary proceedings against him.

Online football communities on Naver, DC Inside, and FM Korea have expressed deep frustration with what many perceive as the KFAs protective stance toward referees who make critical errors. One recurring complaint is that referees who commit serious mistakes face no meaningful consequences, quickly returning to officiating duties despite causing match-altering errors. The instructors alleged actions in the 2022 playoff case feed directly into these concerns - if those responsible for training referees are themselves violating ethics rules and encouraging protest tactics, how can fans trust the system? The Korea Sports Ethics Center now awaits the KFAs internal Sports Fair Play Committee to determine appropriate disciplinary measures, but many in the Korean football community are watching skeptically, wondering if this will result in real accountability or just another case of protecting insiders.