Even the British BBC takes notice! "North Korea's anthem instead of ours? They're still technically at war..."

*This content was translated by AI.

An unprecedented incident occurred at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, where North Korea's national anthem was played instead of South Korea's during a pre-match ceremony for the men's hockey A-group preliminary round between South Korea and Bangladesh. Major international outlets, including the UK's public broadcaster BBC, simultaneously highlighted this "major broadcast error," which is entangled with the unique security situation between the two Koreas.

According to a report by the British BBC on the 19th (Korea time), the Asian Games organizing committee issued an official apology for the incident in which North Korea's anthem was played just before the start of the first A-group preliminary match between South Korea and Bangladesh at Kakamigahara Green Stadium in Gifu Prefecture. The South Korean national team, which secured a decisive 5-0 victory over Bangladesh that day, could not hide their bewilderment upon hearing the inappropriate anthem sound right before the game began.

According to the report, North Korea's anthem was played first at the venue, followed by Bangladesh's anthem, and only then did South Korea's national anthem play correctly—a bizarre sequence of events. The stadium announcer immediately acknowledged the mistake and apologized, but the confusion on-site did not subside.

Min Tae-seok (59), head coach of the South Korean men's Ha Ki (CEO) team, expressed strong regret. Coach Min stated, "This is an extremely serious issue," adding, "When we protested to the organizing committee, they apologized by saying it was not due to inadequate preparation but simply a mistake by the sound technician. However, such an incident must never occur on an international sports stage."

The BBC explained the severity of the incident while detailing the unique nature of inter-Korean relations. The outlet reported, "In South Korea, the use of North Korea's national anthem and other symbols is legally prohibited," noting that "since the Korean War from 1950 to 1953 ended without a peace treaty, the two countries remain technically at war."

Meanwhile, the Asian Games organizing committee's unskilled management has come under scrutiny even before the opening ceremony. Athletes have repeatedly voiced complaints about insufficient accommodations and poor facilities. Bang Jun-hyeong (30), a guard for the South Korean men's basketball national team, posted a video showing water flooding his room after a pipe burst in the bathroom, pleading, "Please help." Additionally, criticism is growing over the poorly organized event, with some national teams reportedly stranded at the airport for up to six hours upon arrival.

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*This content was translated by AI.