2024 Olympics: IOC Apologizes For Mistaking South Korea For North Korea

The 2024 Olympics International Organizing Committee (IOC) has apologized for erroneously introducing the South Korean athletes as North Koreans during the opening ceremony of the event in Paris on Friday, July 26.

As the South Korean delegation paraded down the Seine River in Paris, they were incorrectly announced with the official name of North Korea, causing significant embarrassment.

The mistake led to immediate apologies from the IOC, with the South Korean sports ministry expressing regret over the incident and seeking a meeting with IOC chief Thomas Bach.

“We deeply apologise for the mistake that occurred when introducing the South Korean team during the broadcast of the opening ceremony,” the IOC said in a post on its official Korean-language X account.

The South Korean foreign ministry also contacted the French embassy in Seoul to express dissatisfaction with what they called an “incomprehensible mistake.”

South Korea’s National Olympic Committee plans to voice their protest and request measures to prevent a recurrence, highlighting the seriousness of the error. On the other hand, North Korea was correctly introduced with their official name during the ceremony.

The incident occurred at a time of heightened tensions between the two Koreas. Due to the differences between the two countries, North Korea has strengthened military ties with Russia. Aside from the aforementioned, the North reportedly send balloons carrying trash to the South.

In retaliation, the South often broadcast K-pop and anti-regime messages from border loudspeakers and conducted live fire drills near the demilitarized zone.