Arya News - The North Korean anthem was mistakenly played before South Korea’s men’s hockey match against Bangladesh. The incident left several players visibly confused.
SEOUL – Organizers of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games formally apologized to the South Korean delegation after North Korea’s national anthem was mistakenly played before a men’s hockey match involving South Korea, the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee said Saturday.
According to the committee, two organizing committee officials, including the director responsible for participating nations, visited the South Korean delegation’s office at around 9 p.m. Friday and delivered an official apology over the error.
The incident occurred before South Korea’s Group A match against Bangladesh at Kakamigahara Green Stadium on Friday. As the players stood facing the national flag and waited for South Korea’s national anthem, North Korea’s anthem began playing over the stadium speakers instead, leaving several players visibly confused.
The venue announcer subsequently apologized for playing the wrong anthem and South Korea’s anthem was eventually played, though only as the two teams were exchanging greetings rather than during the formal pregame ceremony.
South Korea went on to defeat Bangladesh 5-0.
The South Korean delegation immediately lodged a formal protest with organizers, sending a letter under the name of the delegation chief Lee Sang-hyun demanding an explanation, an official apology and measures to prevent a recurrence. The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee said it regarded the error seriously, stressing that playing the wrong national anthem at an international multisport event was unacceptable.
“Playing the wrong national anthem, which represents a country, is something that should never happen at an international multisport competition,” committee president Ryu Seung-min said. “The committee is taking this matter very seriously and will continue pressing organizers to determine how the mistake occurred and ensure that similar incidents do not happen again.”
The anthem follows a series of complaints from the South Korean delegation surrounding preparations for the Asian Games.
At a welcome ceremony Tuesday marking the arrival of a cruise ship serving as part of the athletes’ village, a performer dressed to resemble Toyotomi Hideyoshi — the Japanese military leader who launched invasions of Korea in the late 16th century — appeared during the event, prompting a separate protest from the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee.
South Korean officials also raised concerns at the time over conditions at the athletes’ village and administrative delays affecting transportation and other logistics.
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