IOC and Paris Olympics Committee Apologize for Misnaming South Korea

Jul 27, 2024

The opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics was held in Paris, France, on the 27th (Korea Standard Time). South Korea's squad marching over the Seine on a boat. Jockey Woo Sang-hyuk is holding the Korean flag. Paris (France) = Photo Joint Coverage Group/2024.7.27/

Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and Tony Estanguet, president of the Paris Olympic Organizing Committee, have issued direct apologies for the error in announcing the South Korean team's name during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics. President Bach also expressed his desire to personally apologize to South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.

On the 27th (Korean time), the Korean Sports Council briefed the public on future measures following the incident.

On the 26th, during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, an in-house announcer mistakenly introduced South Korea as North Korea. The ceremony, which featured athletes from around the world entering on a cruise ship along the Seine River in Paris, saw the South Korean team entering as the 48th out of 206 participating countries. As Woo Sang-hyuk and Kim Seo-young waved the South Korean flag with bright smiles, the announcer incorrectly referred to South Korea as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea). A male announcer introduced South Korea in French as 'République populaire démocratique de Corée', and a female announcer repeated 'Democratic People's Republic of Korea' in English.

Both references are to North Korea. The official name of South Korea is 'République de Corée' in French and 'Republic of Korea' in English.

The IOC Olympic Channel issued an apology on the official Olympic social media accounts immediately after the incident, but the brief apology intensified public anger.

The Korean Sports Council and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism immediately responded to the incident, which severely damaged the nation's image on the world's largest sporting stage. After confirming that the IOC was responsible for the broadcasting error, OBS (Olympic Broadcasting Services), the IOC's broadcaster, sent an official letter of complaint to the Paris Organizing Committee and the IOC Secretary-General under the name of Chung Kang-sun, the head of the Korean Olympic Committee. At 7:50 a.m. local time on the 27th, an official apology email was received from the IOC, and Tony Estanguet, president of the Paris Olympic Organizing Committee, promised to apologize in person today. IOC President Thomas Bach also proposed a meeting with Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Jang Mi-ran and IOC member Lee Ki-heung and conveyed his intention to apologize directly to the President of South Korea.

The IOC is currently preparing an official apology for the South Korean athletes.

sky4us@sportschosun.com