PARIS – The South Korean Sports Ministry said today that it is seeking a meeting with International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach over a gaffe during the opening ceremony for the Paris Olympics where South Korea was incorrectly introduced as North Korea during the Parade of Nations, Yonhap news agency reported.
In a statement, the ministry said Jang Mi-ran, the second vice minister of sports who attended the ceremony in the French capital, has asked the IOC to arrange a meeting with Bach over the incident.
He also asked the country’s chef de mission, or the top delegate Jeong Gang-sun to demand a quick response from the IOC and the local organising committee.
“We also asked the Foreign Ministry to lodge a strong complaint with France on a government level,” the sports ministry added.
“The Korean Sport and Olympic Committee immediately asked the Paris organising 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.”
When the South Korean delegation rode a boat on the Seine River and came into the spotlight as the 48th nation, the French-speaking announcer said through the PA system, “Republique populaire democratique de Coree,” followed by the English announcement, “Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” which is the official English designation of North Korea.
The subtitle on the broadcast feed, shown on giant screens along the Seine and television for international viewers, correctly showed “Republic of Korea” in English.
North Korea was identified correctly when it entered the parade as the 153rd nation – based on the alphabetical order in French.
The IOC issued an apology on its official Korean-language X account, saying, “We’d like to offer a deep apology over the mistake that occurred in the introduction of the South Korean delegation during the opening ceremony.”
The IOC has not yet posted an apology on its English-language social media account. – July 27, 2023