The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has issued an apology after mistakenly introducing the South Korean team as North Korean during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics. The error caused displeasure among South Koreans, leading to an apology from the IOC and a promise of a meeting between IOC President Thomas Bach and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol. The two countries, still technically at war, have experienced recent tensions, including the suspension of a key 2018 military agreement.
South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism expressed regret over the mistake and requested measures to prevent it from happening again. The South Korean National Olympic Committee plans to meet with the Paris Olympic organizing committee and the IOC to voice their protest.
North Korea, returning to the games for the first time since Rio 2016, has also sent athletes to compete. The country has been strengthening its ties with Russia amid international isolation. Recent provocations, including sending balloons with propaganda messages over the border into South Korea, have escalated tensions.
Both South Korea and North Korea are represented at the Paris Olympics, with South Korea’s delegation consisting of 143 athletes competing in 21 events. The countries’ long-standing conflict remains unresolved, and the mistaken introduction of the South Korean team as North Korean has further highlighted the sensitivity of their relationship.
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