IOC Apologizes for Olympic Gaffe Involving South Korea

IOC Apologizes for Olympic Gaffe Involving South Korea

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) apologized on Saturday for a mistake during the Paris Olympics opening ceremony, where South Korean athletes were incorrectly introduced as North Korean.

As the South Korean delegation sailed down the Seine River, they were mistakenly announced as “Republique populaire democratique de Coree” in French and “Democratic People’s Republic of Korea” in English.

“We deeply apologize for the mistake that occurred when introducing the South Korean team during the broadcast of the opening ceremony,” the IOC said on its official Korean-language X account.

The error sparked displeasure in South Korea, which remains technically at war with the North. The South Korean sports ministry expressed regret over the incident and requested a meeting with IOC chief Thomas Bach to discuss the matter.

The sports ministry also asked the foreign ministry to deliver a strong protest to the French side. South Korea’s National Olympic Committee plans to meet with the Paris Olympics Organizing Committee and the IOC to voice their protest and request measures to prevent a recurrence.

Relations between the two Koreas are currently strained, with recent tensions involving military activities and propaganda exchanges.