PARIS/SEOUL – Paris Olympic organisers have apologised to South Korea after their delegation was labelled as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) on the television broadcast of Friday’s opening ceremony down the River Seine, German news agency (dpa) reported.
The DPRK is the official name of North Korea. The two Koreas have been divided since the Korean War (1950-53). Both states are separated by a demilitarised zone and a joint peace treaty has never been signed.
“We sincerely apologise for the mistake made in introducing the Korean athletes during the opening ceremony broadcast,” the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on its South Korean X account on Saturday.
South Korea had expressed its unhappiness over the incident.
According to the Ministry of Sports in Seoul, a meeting with IOC chief Thomas Bach is being sought.
The South Korean national Olympic committee has also announced that it will send a letter of protest to the IOC to prevent such an incident from happening again. – July 27, 2024