The organisers of the 2024 Paris Olympics have publicly apologised for a major blunder at the opening ceremony on Friday, which was held on the banks of the Seine and attracted millions of spectators around the world and hundreds of thousands of onlookers despite bad weather.
Criticism of the opening event was mixed, with some criticising the decision to forego an opening ceremony in an Olympic stadium.
Athletes from each national team, in a novel break with the custom of entering the stadium waving their national flags, paraded past spectators on boats. However, a serious mishap during the ceremony spoiled the occasion, forcing the organisers to apologise to the public.
At the ceremony along the Seine, South Korean athletes were mistakenly proclaimed representatives of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the official name of North Korea.
Although their boat had the correct name, Republic of Korea, the French and English announcers confused it, prompting an apology from the Olympic committee.
Organizers said on X: “We sincerely apologize for the mistake that was made when introducing the Korean team during the opening ceremony broadcast.”
Following the incident, Vice Minister Jang Mi Ran of South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism called a meeting with IOC President Thomas Bach. The ministry said in a statement that it had also urged South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to lodge a complaint with the French government.
A major blunder occurred at the 2012 London Olympics when the South Korean flag was mistakenly displayed on screens before the North Korean women’s football team’s match against Colombia, forcing the players to leave the field.
