DOHA (AFP) -- Iranian Yussef Karami has slammed what he called unfair refereeing after he spoiled South Korea's taekwondo party at the Asian Games.

The 23-year-old Olympic bronze medalist ended South Korea's 20-year stranglehold on the men's middleweight division Saturday as he battled from behind to whip Park Kyeong-Hoon 4-3 in the 84kg final.

It was Iran's third gold medal in taekwondo since the sport made its debut at the 1986 Asian Games in Seoul.

"I'm very happy that I beat Korea. I wish the referees could score more fairly," said Karami, also the 2003 world champion.

"More preference for Korean players must not be given, just because taekwondo originates from Korea."

Complaints against referees have been commonplace in this 2,000-old high-octane sport of kicking, punching and yelling even after it became an Olympic discipline in 2000.

Crowd reactions have often been suspected of influencing split-second decisions by referees on whether or not high-speed kicks and punches hit the marks.

The scoring system has improved and a point is given only when three of the four referees agree on it.

South Korea still won two golds on the third of the four-day competition as Kim Ju Young beat Tshomlee Go of the Philippines in the men's 62kg bantamweight final and Kim Bo Hye beat Hoang Ha Giang of Vietnam in the women's 55kg bantamweight.

In the women's 72kg middleweight final, Luo Wei of China beat Alaa Kutkut of Jordan with South Korea's Lee In-Jong and Iranian Mahruz Saii grabbing bronze medals.

"There was a little bit of disadvantage because Korea is the native country of taekwondo," Lee said.

"I had an emotional burden."

South Korea remains on course to strike its target of seven gold medals here. It currently has six.