"We are sorry, we are so sorry!" Japanese AG Organizing Committee officially apologizes to the Korea Sports Association over the failure to raise the South Korean flag and a bus no-show incident

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

The Organizing Committee for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games (AINAGOC), which had come under scrutiny throughout the tournament due to poor stadium operations and disruptions, ultimately bowed its head before the South Korean delegation and the public.

The Korea Sports Association announced on the 7th that it received an official letter of apology and an email from AINAGOC regarding the incident in which the South Korean flag was not raised during the men's football medal ceremony, as well as operational failures across transportation and protocol services.

In an official letter dated the 6th, Jo Jik-wi (Director) of AINAGOC expressed deep regret over the disruption at the men's football medal ceremony held at Toyota Stadium on the 3rd. At the time, the raising of the South Korean flag was delayed while the national anthem was played following the Korean team's victory, resulting in an unprecedented situation where the flag failed to be raised properly before the anthem ended.

The organizing committee acknowledged, based on its internal investigation, that there was clear negligence by the on-site operations staff. It explained that the incident was an operational error caused by a rope knot catching on the pulley at the top of the flagpole because the securing position of the hoisting rope had not been checked in advance. The committee stated, "We apologize for causing great concern to the South Korean delegation, related officials, and the people of South Korea."

The apology was not limited to the incident on the football field. AINAGOC also sent consecutive apologies via official email regarding comprehensive failures in transportation and protocol services, which had caused confusion throughout the tournament.

In fact, the Korean delegation faced severe travel difficulties during this tournament. In the case of the men's basketball (5x5) national team, an official team shuttle bus assigned for the morning of the final day failed to arrive at the stadium, resulting in a "no-show" incident that led to the cancellation of scheduled training. In response, the Korea Sports Association had sent multiple strong formal letters of protest to the organizing committee during the tournament period.

The organizing committee added, "Although we have taken corrective measures, we are sorry for the continued inconvenience caused to the delegation's operations and express our repeated regret." The Korea Sports Association stated that it will not stop at receiving this official apology but will meticulously organize the issues regarding the overall operations of the organizing committee. The association emphasized, "We will comprehensively review the major issues and continue to cooperate with international sports organizations and propose institutional improvements to ensure that our delegation receives fair treatment and a stable competitive environment in future international multi-sport events."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original