The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has apologized for a significant mistake made during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics. During the parade of athletes, South Korea was mistakenly introduced as North Korea. The Seoul-based news agency, Yonhap News, reported this error.
Jang Mi-ran, the second Vice Minister of South Korea’s sports ministry, witnessed the incident and immediately sought a meeting with IOC President Thomas Bach. Following this, the IOC issued an apology on its official Korean X account. In the post, the IOC stated, “We deeply apologize for the mistake that occurred when introducing the Korean athletes during the broadcast of the opening ceremony.”
Jang Mi-ran also asked South Korea’s top delegate, Jeong Gang-sun, to demand an explanation from both the local organizing committee of the Olympics and the IOC. In addition, the South Korean foreign ministry was requested to lodge a strong complaint with France on a governmental level.
The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee quickly reached out to the Paris organizing committee to prevent similar mistakes in the future and plans to submit an official protest through their chef de mission. The committee will also meet with the IOC to discuss the incident further.
The error occurred as the South Korean delegation, the 48th nation in the parade, passed through the Seine River. The announcement incorrectly referred to South Korea as “Republique populaire democratique de Coree,” which is the French name for North Korea. The English name, “Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” was also announced, which is North Korea’s official designation. However, the subtitles on the giant screens of the broadcast correctly displayed “Republic of Korea,” the official English designation of South Korea.
The mistake is particularly significant because of the longstanding rivalry between North and South Korea. A recent incident on June 10 highlighted these tensions when North Korea sent over 300 waste-loaded balloons into South Korea in response to South Korea broadcasting international news and K-pop, both of which are banned in North Korea.
This incident at the Paris Olympics underscores the importance of accuracy and sensitivity in international events, especially when it involves nations with a complex and tense relationship.
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