Organizers of the Paris Olympics have issued a heartfelt apology following a regrettable error during the opening ceremony, where athletes from South Korea were incorrectly introduced as representatives from North Korea.
As the South Korean team paraded down the River Seine, both France and English announcers incorrectly referred to them as the “Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” which is North Korea’s official title.
This error was later corrected when North Korea’s own delegation passed by.
The subtitle on the television broadcast displayed the correct designation, but the incident still sparked significant concern.
The South Korean sports ministry has announced plans to file a “strong complaint with France on a government level” over the gaffe.
They expressed “regret over the announcement… where the South Korean delegation was introduced as the North Korean team.”
The ministry’s second vice sports minister, Jang Mi-ran, a 2008 Olympic weightlifting champion, has requested a meeting with IOC President Thomas Bach.
The International Olympic Committee apologized through its official Korean-language X account, stating, “We would like to offer a deep apology over the mistake that occurred in the introduction of the South Korean delegation during the opening ceremony.”
South Korea, officially known as the Republic of Korea, is fielding 143 athletes across 21 sports this year.
Meanwhile, North Korea, which has not competed in the Olympics since Rio 2016, has sent 16 athletes.
