Olympics 2024: South Korea upset by awkward opening ceremony gaffe

South Korean athletes were incorrectly introduced as from North Korea in Saturday’s opening ceremony in an embarrassing and awkward gaffe for Olympic officials.

South Korea has expressed regret their delegation of athletes at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony was introduced as from rival North Korea on Saturday.

They have demanded assurances from organisers the mistake will not happen again.

As the boat carrying South Korean athletes passed on the Seine, the announcer introduced them as the “Democratic People’s Republic of Korea” – the official name of North Korea – in French and English.

님들아 이거 잘못들은거 아니죠 우리나라 입장할때 Democratic People's Republic of Korea라고 소개한거같은데????????????? pic.twitter.com/I1Bfsy4pr0

— 4156🌂 (@popoccw) July 26, 2024

The announcer used the same introduction when the North Korean delegation passed.

South Korea’s vice minister for sports and culture, Jang Mi-ran, who was in Paris, had requested a meeting with International Olympics Committee President Thomas Bach, the ministry said in a statement.

“We express regret that the country was introduced as North Korea at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games when the athletes of the Republic of Korea were entering,” it said.

South Korea’s National Olympic Committee immediately referred the incident to the Games’ organisers and requested the error not be repeated.

South Korea’s delegation includes 143 athletes competing in 21 events. North Korea, which is returning to the Games for the first time since Rio 2016, sent 16 athletes.