Korea Expressway Corp. lost 3-1 (25-15, 19-25, 25-20, 25-20) to GS Caltex on April 5 at Jangchung Gymnasium in Seoul in Game 3 of the Jina Air 2025-2026 V-League women's championship series, a best-of-five.
After dropping Games 1 and 2 at home in Gimcheon, Korea Expressway Corp. fell again on the road and was swept 3-0 in the series, settling for second place.
The momentum from finishing first in the regular season (24-12, 69 points) was nowhere to be found, with the disruption stemming from events off the court. On March 26, just days before the finals, the club announced it would not renew the contract of coach Kim Jong-min, who had led the team for the past 10 years. Kim's deal ran through the end of March, and the decision meant the team would play the April championship series under senior assistant coach Kim Young-rae as interim head coach.
Kim was effectively dismissed after being summarily indicted on allegations he assaulted an assistant coach. Prosecutors accused Kim of throwing a remote control and pushing the neck area of an assistant coach, identified as Coach A, at the team's dormitory in Gimcheon, North Gyeongsang province, including in the head coach's office, from late 2024 into early last year. After the complaint became public in April last year, Kim denied the allegations, but prosecutors summarily indicted him on assault-related charges.
The club said March 26 that it decided against renewing Kim's contract after prosecutors issued the summary indictment in late February in connection with the assault and defamation case involving Coach A.
The timing and manner of the notice drew criticism, as there had been no court ruling and the Korea Volleyball Federation, or KOVO, had not imposed any discipline. Kim had also attended a media day held just before the postseason in his capacity as the team's head coach.
The interim setup also showed clear limits. The bench often reacted a beat late, with timeouts and substitutions repeatedly missing the moments needed to halt GS Caltex's runs or change the mood. In key stretches when errors mounted, the staff appeared focused on calming players rather than offering sharp tactical answers or surprise lineup moves, and it was outmaneuvered in the chess match that often decides short series.
After the Game 3 loss, interim coach Kim Young-rae fought back tears when speaking to reporters. "I'm so sorry to the players," he said. "After the match I tried to talk to them, but when I looked them in the eyes, I started crying and couldn't speak. I'm sorry."
GS Caltex coach Lee Young-taek spoke cautiously about the situation. "Compared to Coach Kim Jong-min, I am not a coach with that much experience. I always learned a lot," Lee said. "It probably did have some impact that Coach Kim wasn't there."
The late coaching change on the eve of the finals ended with the harsh result of a three-match sweep, and Korea Expressway Corp.'s 2025-2026 season closed with lingering regret despite its regular-season title.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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