South Korean athletes in Paris

During the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, South Korean athletes were mistakenly introduced as representatives of North Korea, prompting a deep apology from the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The incident occurred as the South Korean team paraded on the Seine River, where they were announced in both French and English as the 'Democratic People's Republic of Korea'. Following the error, South Korea's Ministry of Culture Sports and Tourism sought a meeting with IOC President Thomas Bach and intends to file a formal complaint with the French government. IOC spokesperson Mark Adams called the operational mistake 'deeply regrettable' and assured that measures would be taken to prevent recurrence. This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between the two Koreas, which have been divided since the end of World War II. The IOC's apology follows a previous similar incident at the 2012 Olympics in London, underscoring a pattern of misidentification.