*an illustration of a ssireum training session
A middle school wrestling coach in South Korea has been expelled from the sport following a shocking attack on a student during practice.
The coach, identified only as “Coach A,” was permanently banned from Korean wrestling after hitting a second-year middle school student on the head with a shovel at a wrestling facility in Sangju, North Gyeongsang Province. The incident took place on June 5, with the coach blaming the student’s “poor training attitude” for the assault.
The case remained hidden for nearly two months, as neither the coach nor the student reported the attack. The truth came to light on July 28 when the injured student tried to harm himself and was discovered by his father.
The school immediately filed a police report on August 4, charging the coach with abuse. The Korean Wrestling Association’s Sports Fairness Committee in North Gyeongsang Province reviewed the case and on August 27 handed down the harshest punishment: expulsion, according to Chosun.
“Regarding the incident in June in which Coach A of the Sangju middle school wrestling team struck a second-year student on the head with a shovel, causing injury, the Sports Fairness Committee of the North Gyeongsang Wrestling Association reviewed the case and decided to expel A,”
the Korean Wrestling Association announced.
The association issued a public apology for the incident.
“Despite running programs to improve human rights in sports, we deeply apologize that such serious violence occurred during school training,”
the statement read.
Emergency measures followed quickly. On August 21, the association held violence prevention training for coaches and officials at a national wrestling tournament.
Looking ahead, the organization plans a nationwide training session on September 3, including a “Wrestlers’ Pledge Event” for coaches. Participation in upcoming tournaments, including the 1st Samcheok Isabu General National Champion Wrestling Tournament, will require completion of mandatory educational programs.
The association stressed that this incident has forced a complete rethink of athlete protection.
“This incident has led us to overhaul our measures to protect student athletes’ rights, and we will do everything to create a wrestling culture the public can trust,”
they said.
The case raises broader concerns about coaching practices in South Korea, where intense training can sometimes cross into abuse. The association admitted their past efforts, including workshops and online programs, were not enough.
“We sincerely regret that such a serious incident occurred in a school training facility, where student athletes should be safest,”
they added.
Korean wrestling, or Ssireum, faces a decline due to cultural, economic, and generational challenges. Modern sports and entertainment have overshadowed traditional wrestling, and financial support is limited. Urbanization and the erosion of rural communities—Ssireum’s traditional base—have further weakened the sport. Without serious investment in promotion and youth development, Ssireum risks fading into a nostalgic relic rather than surviving as a living sport.
