South Korean sports group apologizes to China over Go tournament error

By Berk Kutay Gokmen

ISTANBUL (AA) – The Korea Baduk Association apologized on Tuesday for the Chinese Go player’s loss in the LG Cup finals held in South Korea, attributing it to "rule violations" stemming from differences in local rules.

The association also announced plans to work with the Japanese and Chinese Go Associations to establish standardized rules for international tournaments, according to the Global Times.

Go, known as Baduk in South Korea and Weiqi in China, is a two-player strategy game involving stone placement on a grid. It is widely popular across East Asia.

The controversy arose during the 29th LG Cup final on Wednesday when Chinese Go player Ke Jie lost after failing to place captured stones in their designated containers, a requirement under Korean rules.

While the rules of Go in China, Japan, and South Korea are generally aligned, there are differences in specific cases, such as how captured stones are handled, the Global Times noted.

Under Korea Baduk Association rules, “If a player fails to place a captured stone in the stone container, they will be penalized 2 points.” This penalty cost Ke Jie 2 points, leading to his loss.

A Chinese Go player claimed this rule was introduced after the LG Cup’s inception but was not enforced until the final, sparking the controversy.

With the score now tied at 1-1, the decisive match is set to take place on Thursday.