Coach Jung Sung-sook criticized for lax management of judoka Jeong Su-jin

South Korean women’s 48kg judo national team member Jeong Su-jin was eliminated from the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Sept. 30, after failing a random weigh-in prior to her opening match, according to reports.

Weigh-in failure blocks competition entry

Under tournament rules, judo athletes undergo official weigh-ins the day before competition, followed by a secondary random weigh-in for four selected athletes per weight class just before matches begin. A 5% tolerance is permitted during random weigh-ins, allowing the 48kg division limit to reach 50.4kg. Jeong exceeded the threshold by 100 grams, barring her from stepping onto the mat.

Prior weigh-in issues and roster dispute revealed

She also missed the weight limit during official checks at the Paris Grand Slam in February, an event used as an Asian Games trial. The Korea Judo Association omitted that prior failure from media performance reports at the time, and women’s national team head coach Jung Sung-sook took no action. Approximately two weeks before the Asian Games opening, Jung submitted a written request to the Korea Judo Association to replace Jeong due to ongoing weight-cutting difficulties. The request was made without Jeong’s consent. After Jeong quickly informed officials she intended to compete, the replacement plan collapsed. A judo association official described the demand to replace a selected national representative immediately before the tournament as unfeasible, noting that the competition performance committee rejected it instantly.

Insiders criticize head coach Jung Sung-sook for lax management

Judo community insiders have criticized head coach Jung Sung-sook for lax management of the athlete. Another national team coach emphasized that athlete management falls under the head coach’s responsibility, noting that athletes are required to lodge in the training village precisely for close supervision. A similar schedule was maintained during the previous semester. In contrast, men’s national team head coach Hwang Hee-tae managed his squad directly throughout all five weekdays.

Coach Jeong’s demand to replace a player who has been officially selected for the national team right before the tournament is not even worth considering. On the contrary, the coach making such a claim is irresponsible. The Performance Improvement Committee also rejected the proposal outright.

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