Olympic Committee Issues Apology To South Korea For Opening Ceremony Mistake

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Saturday issued an apology for a mistake during the Paris Olympics opening ceremony, where South Korea was incorrectly introduced as North Korea. According to Yonhap News, Jang Mi-ran, the second Vice Minister of South Korea’s sports ministry, requested a meeting with IOC President Thomas Bach after witnessing the error.

The IOC apologized on its official Korean X account, stating, “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 top delegate Jeong Gang-sun to seek explanations from both the local organizing committee and the IOC. The South Korean sports ministry urged the foreign ministry to file a strong complaint with France and requested the Paris organizing committee to prevent future errors. An official protest will be submitted under their chef de mission, Yonhap News reported.

During the ceremony, as South Korea, the 48th nation, paraded through the Seine River, the announcement incorrectly referred to them as “Republique populaire democratique de Coree” and “Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” North Korea’s official name. Subtitles on the giant screens correctly displayed “Republic of Korea,” South Korea’s official English designation.

The incident occurs amid ongoing tensions between the two Koreas, with recent provocations including North Korea sending over 300 waste-filled balloons into South Korea on June 10, following South Korea’s broadcast of international news and K-pop, which are banned in North Korea.