IOC apologises for S Korea gaffe at Games' opening
The International Olympic Committee apologised on Saturday for a gaffe during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics in which South Korean athletes were incorrectly introduced as North Korean. As the South Korean delegation sailed down the Seine river in the French capital, they were introduced with the official name for North Korea: "Republique populaire democratique de Coree" in French, then "Democratic People's Republic of Korea" in English. "We deeply apologise for the mistake that occurred when introducing the South Korean team during the broadcast of the opening ceremony," the IOC said in a post on its official Korean-language X account. The error sparked displeased reactions in South Korea, that is technically still at war with the North. The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee said later on Saturday that it had received a message from the IOC indicating that its chief, Thomas Bach, wished to directly apologise to the president of South Korea over the phone. Earlier, South Korea's sports ministry said in a statement it "expresses regret" over the announcement. Second vice sports minister Jang Mi-ran, a 2008 Olympic weightlifting champion, has asked for a meeting with IOC chief Bach to discuss the matter, it added. The country's foreign ministry said in a statement it had contacted the French embassy in Seoul which expressed regret over what it said was an "incomprehensible mistake". North Korea was correctly introduced with the country's official name. (AFP)