South Korea’s men’s hockey team were left bewildered and unsure how to react after the North Korean national anthem was mistakenly played ahead of their match against Bangladesh
South Korea’s men’s hockey team were left puzzled on Friday (September 18) when the North Korean national anthem was mistakenly played before their match against Bangladesh at the Asian Games.
As they stood on the pitch at Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium in Kakamigahara, the South Korean squad appeared bewildered and uncertain about how to respond to the unexpected situation. Some placed their hands over their hearts, while others looked around in sheer disbelief.
Immediately recognising their error in playing the North Korean anthem, the organisers swiftly rectified the issue to ensure the correct one was then played.
“We are really sorry, terribly sorry. National anthem for the Republic of Korea, we played a different song,” the stadium announcer apologised. “I’m really sorry.”
Despite the blunder, they did play Bangladesh’s national anthem before eventually playing South Korea’s after the mix-up.
Evidently, the incident at the Asian Games, which officially kick off on Saturday, didn’t impact South Korea’s performance on the pitch against Bangladesh, as they emerged victorious with a 5-0 win, reports the Express US.
South Korea’s Yonhap news agency has described the incident as an “awkward mishap,” noting the team was left baffled by the unfolding situation.
“Standing with their hands over their hearts in front of the unfurled South Korean flag, the South Korean players could not hide their bewilderment,” the agency reported.
Yonhap added: “Belatedly realizing the mistake, the organizing committee played Bangladesh’s national anthem first before playing South Korea’s.
“However, pressed for time ahead of the scheduled match start, the referee instructed players to exchange greetings while the South Korean anthem was still playing, forcing South Korean athletes to start the match without being able to sing the anthem.”
North Korea’s national anthem is prohibited in South Korea due to the Korean War.
The fixture between South Korea and Bangladesh took place prior to the opening ceremony because of the jam-packed timetable of the Asian Games, which will showcase over 11,000 competitors, a number that surpasses the Olympics.
The 2026 edition of the Asian Games, staged in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan, marks the 20th Asian Games, the previous one having been held in Hangzhou, China, in 2023, which welcomed 12,000 athletes.
The 2023 Asian Games were postponed by a year owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.