South Korea’s Olympic committee files complaint over anthem error
South Korea’s Olympic committee has lodged a formal complaint with the Asian Games organisers in Nagoya following the mistaken play of the North Korean national anthem ahead of their opening hockey match against Bangladesh, reports BritPanorama.
Japanese officials erroneously played the wrong anthem at the arena, resulting in visible confusion among the South Korean squad. Several players expressed disbelief, although some maintained composure by placing their hands over their hearts.
The diplomatic misstep occurred just a day before the official opening ceremony at the Paloma Mizuho Stadium, where more than 10,000 athletes from 46 nations are scheduled to compete across 43 sports until October 4.
Once the error was recognised, the North Korean anthem was quickly halted and replaced by the Bangladeshi anthem, followed much later by the South Korean anthem prior to kick-off. The stadium announcer promptly apologised for the mix-up, stating, “We are really sorry, terribly sorry.”
A representative from the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee remarked, “We collected evidence, including video footage, to determine exactly what happened and ultimately confirmed North Korea’s national anthem was played. We plan to lodge a formal protest with the organising committee.” The Korean peninsula has remained divided for over eight decades, a lasting legacy of the conflict from 1950 to 1953 that established one of the world’s most heavily militarised borders.
This is not the first time such a mistake has arisen; a similar incident occurred during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics, when South Korea was incorrectly introduced as North Korea. The International Olympic Committee apologised at that time, and the current mishap raises further questions about organisational standards at major sporting events.
Despite the pre-match disruptions caused by the anthem error, the South Korean hockey team displayed remarkable composure on the pitch, decisively defeating Bangladesh 5-0 in their opening contest.
This incident serves as a reminder of how sporting events can become entangled with historical tensions, illustrating the complexities that extend beyond the field.
