Event organisers at the Asian Games apologised after playing the North Korean national anthem for South Korea’s men’s hockey team during a competition. The error occurred while South Korea was facing Bangladesh in a match that ended with a 5-0 victory. According to reporting from South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, Bangladesh’s anthem was subsequently played before South Korea’s correct national anthem was finally performed.
South Korea’s hockey coach Min Tae-seok characterised the incident as a serious error that should not have occurred. When the South Korean delegation lodged a protest with organisers, officials acknowledged responsibility, stating that while the anthem had been prepared correctly, those responsible for playing it during the match made a mistake in execution.
The incident carries particular sensitivity given that North Korea’s national anthem and other state symbols are prohibited in South Korea. The two nations remain technically at war, as the armed conflict between them in the period from 1950 to 1953 concluded without a formal peace treaty.
The Asian Games, taking place in Japan, face additional scrutiny beyond the anthem error. In the weeks leading up to and during the event’s opening, multiple teams have raised concerns about accommodation quality, with reports of maintenance issues in athlete housing. Additionally, several delegations experienced significant delays at airport facilities upon arrival, with some teams waiting up to six hours before departing the terminal.
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