Asian Games 2026: Officials offer ‘deepest apologies’ for South Korea anthem blunder
The incident, which took place on Friday, sparked anger among South Korean representatives and became the latest controversy to affect the Nagoya-Aichi Games.
Updated : Sep 19, 2026 19:57 IST , NAGOYA - 2 MINS READ
FILE PHOTO: South Korea has 792 competitors at the ongoing Asian Games. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
FILE PHOTO: South Korea has 792 competitors at the ongoing Asian Games. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
Asian Games officials have offered profuse apologies after mistakenly playing North Korea’s anthem before South Korea’s men’s hockey match against Bangladesh.
The incident, which took place on Friday, sparked anger among South Korean representatives and became the latest controversy to affect the Nagoya-Aichi Games. South Korea’s players had lined up for the pre-match ceremony when the anthem of their northern neighbour was played.
Organisers subsequently corrected the mistake by playing Bangladesh’s anthem and then South Korea’s national song. The South Korean team went on to secure a 5-0 victory.
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In a statement, the organising committee blamed the mix-up on the officials handling the anthem arrangements. It said representatives had personally apologised to South Korea’s delegation and pledged to prevent a similar incident from happening again.
South Korea’s coach Min Tae-seok remained dissatisfied, describing the mistake as unacceptable despite the apology.
The controversy comes amid wider concerns about the Games, including complaints regarding accommodation and reports that some arriving teams were delayed at the airport for up to six hours.
(With inputs from AFP)
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Published on Sep 19, 2026
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