All participating clubs play home and away season in the K4 League. The promotion and relegation system exists between the K3 League and the K4 League, but does not exist between the K4 League and amateur league K5 League.
For the 2025 season, the winner of the league will be crowned champions without a playoff and gain automatic promotion. The 2nd-placed team may gain promotion via a two-game playoff series against the 14th-place team in the 2025 K3 League.[1][2]
Also for the 2025 season, and following the example of K League, match day squad lists have increased from 18 to 20 players. At least three players must be Korean nationals, aged 23 or younger, and at least one of the three must be in the starting eleven. The Asian player quota has been removed, and teams may now include 4 foreign players of any nationality.[3]
^Lee, Hyeong-ho (20 February 2025). "2025 K4리그 22일 개막…11개 팀 9개월간 경쟁" [2025 K4 League Opens on the 22nd. 11 Teams Compete for 9 Months.]. Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
^Lee, Hyeong-ho (27 February 2025). "K3리그, 2025시즌 3월 1일 개막…15개팀 경쟁" [K3 League, 2025 season opens on March 1st. 15 teams compete.]. Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
^Lee, Hyeong-ho (20 February 2025). "2025 K4리그 22일 개막…11개 팀 9개월간 경쟁" [2025 K4 League Opens on the 22nd. 11 Teams Compete for 9 Months.]. Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
Seo Dong-won