South Korea Gets Introduced As North Korea At The 2024 Paris Olympics

They have demanded a meeting with the IOC.

The opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics witnessed a terrible gaffe as presenters introduced the South Korean delegation as North Korea as they floated down the River Seine.

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Athletes arriving in boats along the Seine River in Paris | Ricardo Mazalan/AP

When the South Korean delegation rode on a boat down the Seine and came into the spotlight, both the French and English announcers introduced them as the “Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” the official name of North Korea. The broadcast subtitle, shown on the giant screens installed along the river and on TV, showed the correct name, which is “Republic of Korea.”

When the North Korean delegation entered the parade as the 153rd nation, the presenters, however, identified them correctly as the “Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.”

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The North Korean delegation in Paris | Sky News

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued a “deep apology” on its Korean X account, admitting its mistake. The committee members reiterated their apology during a press conference later as well.

South Korea has responded to this mishap rather strictly. On July 27, the South Korean sports ministry said that Jang Mi Ran, the second vice minister of sports who attended the ceremony in Paris, had asked the IOC to arrange a meeting with its President Thomas Bach over the incident. The country’s chef de mission or the top delegate, Jung Gang Sun, has also been directed to seek a quick response from the IOC.

The sports ministry has also asked the foreign ministry to lodge a “strong complaint” with France on a government level.

The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee immediately asked the Paris organizing committee to prevent a recurrence of similar cases and will submit an official protest under our chef de mission. The committee will also meet with the IOC.

— Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

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