Olympic organizers have issued a “deep apology” after South Korean athletes had been mistakenly launched as North Korean athletes on the opening ceremony in Paris.
Because the excited, flag-waving procession drifted down the Seine, French and British announcers launched them because the “Democratic Folks’s Republic of Korea” – North Korea’s official identify.
The identical identify was accurately used because the North Korean delegation handed by.
North and South Korea have been divided because the finish of World Conflict II, and tensions between the 2 international locations have escalated just lately.
Nevertheless, the subtitle on the backside of the TV broadcast exhibits the proper title.
South Korea’s sports activities ministry mentioned it deliberate to lodge a “sturdy government-level grievance” with France over the embarrassing gaffe.
In a press release, the division mentioned it “regrets the announcement that the South Korean delegation was launched because the North Korean staff.”
The assertion added that Zhang Meilan, the second deputy minister of sports activities and 2008 Olympic weightlifting champion, had requested a gathering with Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach.
The Worldwide Olympic Committee (IOC) formally issued an apology assertion Korean X account” and mentioned: “We deeply apologize for the errors made when introducing the Korean delegation on the opening ceremony.
South Korea (formally referred to as the Republic of Korea) has 143 athletes competing in 21 sports activities on this 12 months’s Olympic staff.
North Korea despatched 16 athletes. That is the primary time they’ve participated within the Olympics since Rio 2016.
