Olympic Organizers Apologize for Mistakenly Introducing South Korean Athletes as North Korean at Paris Opening Ceremony

 

In a significant blunder during the Paris 2024 Olympic opening ceremony, organizers have issued a formal apology after South Korean athletes were mistakenly introduced as their North Korean counterparts. The error occurred as the South Korean team, waving flags and parading along the River Seine, was announced as representing the "Democratic People's Republic of Korea," the official name for North Korea.

The mix-up was compounded when the same designation was correctly used to introduce the actual North Korean delegation later in the ceremony. While the subtitle on television screens correctly identified the South Korean team, the verbal introduction caused considerable confusion and offense.

The South Korean sports ministry has expressed its dissatisfaction with the mishap, stating its intention to file a "strong complaint with France on a government level." The ministry's statement conveyed regret over the error and highlighted the sensitive nature of the situation given the historical and ongoing tensions between the two Koreas. Jang Mi-ran, South Korea's second vice sports minister and a 2008 Olympic weightlifting champion, has requested a meeting with Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), to address the issue directly.

In response, the IOC has issued an apology on its official Korean-language X account, acknowledging the mistake and offering a "deep apology" for the confusion caused by the incorrect introduction. The IOC's statement aimed to reassure all parties that such errors are taken seriously and that measures will be reviewed to prevent similar issues in the future.

This year's South Korean Olympic team comprises 143 athletes competing in 21 sports, while North Korea has sent a delegation of 16 athletes, marking its first participation in the Games since Rio 2016. The error underscores the heightened sensitivities surrounding the representation of the two countries, who have been divided since the end of World War II and have seen escalating tensions in recent years.