A Study on the Establishment of Professional Players and Clubs in Korean Judo: From Professional Soccer and Baseball to AI Judgment

Purpose: This study analyzes the structural limitations that have prevented Korean judo from establishing itself as a professional sport despite its international success. To achieve this, it compares the development of professional soccer and professional baseball to examine the institutional chara cteristics of Korean judo. Furthermore, it examines the potential application of artificial intelligence (AI), which is expanding in the field of sports judging, to the sport of judo. Furthermore, it envisages the future of Korean judo amidst Korea's low b irth rate and transition to a multicultural society, and proposes a direction for Korean judo suited to the era of professional sports and AI judging. Method: This study compared Korean judo with professional soccer and baseball teams. It also analyzed institutional and technological changes, focusing on the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in sports judging. Results: While Korean judo maintains high competitiveness in the elite sports system centered on international competitions, it has been revealed that institutional gaps exist in the professional sports structure. Unlike professional soccer and baseball, the absence of a regular league and market base has limited player job security and the popularization of the sport. Furthermore, the lack of a systematic strategy for developing star players and promoting media exposure has been revealed. Issues regarding the fairness of sports judging have been repeatedly raised in judo, negatively impacting audience trust. Furthermore, a nalysis of cases involving the introduction of AI judging systems suggests that technology-based judging has the potential to simultaneously enhance fairness and reliability. Furthermore, the low birth rate and shift toward a multicultural society were identified as factors requiring structural changes in the recruitment and management of Korean judo athletes. In summary, the need for Korean judo to move beyond its traditional performance-based development model and adapt to the new sports environment was identified. Conclusion: This study analyzed the structural limitations facing Korean judo from the perspective of professionalization and the changing technological environment. The results confirmed that expanding the league base and improving the athlete career structure are essential for the sustainable development of Korean judo. In particular, the introduction of AI refereeing is evaluated as a key strategy to enhance the fairness and reliability of judo competitions. Furthermore, the need for an open and integrated athlete development policy that responds to changes in social structure was raised. In conclusion, Korean judo must secure future competitiveness through a systematic transformation suited to the era of professional sports and AI refereeing.