Olympics organisers have issued a profound apology to South Korea for a ‘human error’ that led to its 143 athletes being misidentified as North Korean during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The mishap occurred on Friday as the South Korean athletes were showcased on a boat cruising along the River Seine. Both French and English announcements mistakenly identified them as representatives of the “People’s Democratic Republic of Korea”, the official name of North Korea. The correct name for South Korea is the “Republic of Korea”.
This error is particularly sensitive given the enduring tensions between the two nations, which remain technically at war since the Korean War ended in 1953 with an armistice but no peace treaty.
Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), personally apologised to South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol in a phone call on Sunday. According to an official statement, Bach “apologised sincerely for the mistake in the audio broadcast of the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024… in which the team of the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Korea … was wrongly identified.”
The IOC attributed the mistake to a “human error” and expressed deep regret over the incident.
An immediate apology was also issued on the Olympics body’s official Korean-language account on X, previously known as Twitter. At a press conference on Saturday, IOC spokesperson Mark Adams described the incident as “clearly deeply regrettable” and extended a wholehearted apology.
South Korea’s Sports Ministry expressed its regret over the incorrect introduction of the South Korean delegation during the opening broadcast.
South Korea has sent 143 athletes to compete in 21 events at the Paris Games. In contrast, North Korea has dispatched only 16 athletes, marking its return after skipping the 2020 Tokyo Olympics due to Covid-19 concerns and subsequently being banned from the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
This incident occurs amidst heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Recently, Pyongyang has sent thousands of garbage-laden balloons into South Korea, some of which have landed on the grounds of the presidential compound in Seoul. This action was reportedly in retaliation for a civilian campaign in South Korea that involved sending balloons carrying anti-North Korean propaganda across the border.
Amid escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula, Pyongyang has intensified its provocations by dispatching thousands of trash-filled balloons into South Korean territory. Some of these balloons have recently landed on the grounds of the presidential compound in Seoul. This provocative gesture is believed to be a response to a South Korean civilian initiative that involved sending balloons carrying anti-North Korean messages across the border.
First Published: Jul 29 2024 | 1:50 PM IS