Gifu: The organizing committee of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games has issued an apology after mistakenly playing the North Korean anthem at a South Korean hockey match, according to the South Korean sports governing body. The incident occurred before the men's Pool A match against Bangladesh at the Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium in Gifu, Japan.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the organizers initially played the North Korean anthem instead of South Korea's, followed by the anthem of Bangladesh. It was only after these errors that the correct anthem for South Korea was played. The Korean Sport and Olympic Committee (KSOC) quickly lodged an official complaint, demanding both an apology and measures to prevent future occurrences.
Later that evening, around 9 p.m., two officials from the Asian Games organizing committee visited the South Korean team office to formally apologize for the mix-up. KSOC President Ryu Seung-min emphasized that the organization is committed to ensuring South Korean athletes can concentrate solely on their competitions, free from distractions.
Ryu further stated, "It is absolutely unacceptable for the national anthem, a symbol of our nation, to be performed incorrectly at an international multisport event, and we view this matter with the utmost seriousness." He reiterated the KSOC's demand for a thorough investigation and the implementation of preventive measures by the organizing committee to avoid a repeat of such incidents.