The International Olympic Committee (IOC) apologized to South Korea after the country’s athletes were wrongly introduced as North Korean during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics.
IOC President Thomas Bach had a phone conversation with President Yoon Suk Yeol, Saturday, following the blunder hours earlier. In their 10-minute talk, Bach offered his “sincere and heartfelt apology” for the “inexcusable” mistake and promised that the IOC will take all measures necessary to prevent a recurrence, Jung Hye-jeon, spokeswoman for Yoon, told reporters.
This comes after South Korea’s delegation was announced in both French and English as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, North 커뮤니티 Korea’s official name, at Friday’s (local time) opening event on the Seine. The formal name of South Korea is the Republic of Korea.
It wasn’t an error in the order of introduction between two Koreas. When the time came to introduce North Korea, it was announced accurately as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
Speaking to Bach on the phone, Yoon said many South Koreans were dismayed by the gaffe.
“I hope the rest of the Olympic Games will proceed successfully and serve as a true festival for everyone around the world,” Yoon told Bach, according to Jung.
The next day, the IOC issued a statement on the matter.