A critical blunder occurred in the course of the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics: the Worldwide Olympic Committee (IOC) mistakenly offered the South Korean delegation as if it have been from North Korea. The error sparked outrage in South Korea and the Olympic Committee later formally apologized.
Because the South Korean crew sailed down the Seine River alongside different taking part nations, the announcer incorrectly recognized them because the “Democratic Individuals’s Republic of Korea,” the official title of North Korea. The identical title was repeated when introducing the precise North Korean delegation.
North and South Korea have a hostile relationship that has its roots within the division of the Korean Peninsula after World Battle II. From one of the vital brutal wars in historical past to lately heightened tensions, the nations have a protracted historical past of battle.
The Olympic Committee has expressed deep remorse over the incident and has assured South Korea that measures can be taken to forestall such errors sooner or later.
“We deeply apologize for the error that occurred when introducing the Korean crew in the course of the opening ceremony broadcast,” the Worldwide Olympic Committee mentioned in a publish on X in Korean.
South Korea has expressed disappointment over the incident, stressing the significance of precisely depicting the 2 nations.
IOC President Thomas Bach spoke to South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol to personally apologize for the error. The South Korean president informed Bach that the individuals of his nation have been “very shocked and embarrassed” by the incident.
Olympic Committee spokesman Mark Adams additionally known as the error “clearly and deeply regrettable.”
“An operational error was made. We are able to solely apologize, on an evening when a lot was at stake, for this error,” Adams mentioned.
South Korea’s sports activities ministry has requested the nation’s international ministry to lodge a “sturdy government-level grievance” with the French authorities, which is internet hosting the Olympics.
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