The opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics was marred by a significant diplomatic gaffe that has caused a stir in South Korea. As the South Korean delegation made their entrance on a boat along the Seine River, a French-speaking presenter mistakenly referred to them by the official name of North Korea. The announcement in French, “Republique populaire democratique de Coree,” might have gone unnoticed, but the English announcement, which stated “Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” left no room for misinterpretation. This error sparked an outcry in South Korea, a nation recognized for its advanced technology and vibrant culture, and one that remains technically at war with the nuclear-armed North following the 1950-1953 conflict that ended in an armistice instead of a peace treaty.
South Korea’s Ministry of Sport issued an official statement expressing regret over the announcement and referring to it as “the introduction of the South Korean delegation as the North Korean team.” The ministry’s Second Vice Minister, Jang Mi-ran, a 2008 Olympic weightlifting champion, has requested a meeting with International Olympic Committee (IOC) chief Thomas Bach to discuss the matter. The sports ministry has also asked the foreign ministry to deliver a “strong protest to the French side” regarding the issue. Furthermore, South Korea’s National Olympic Committee plans to meet with the Paris Olympics Organizing Committee and the IOC to voice their protest and request measures to prevent a recurrence of such mistakes.
Beyond the diplomatic gaffe involving South Korea, the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics encountered multiple issues. Thousands of spectators experienced long queues and ticketing problems. According to AFP, many gates opened an hour late, and two gates opened at least two hours late due to staff not receiving the necessary scanners to check tickets. French weather services had predicted “flooding rains” for Friday, coinciding with the opening ceremony. These predictions proved accurate, as sporadic rainfall intermittently spattered the event, although spectators largely remained in place to witness what many described as a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle in Paris.
Moreover, the French high-speed rail network was hit by acts of sabotage on Friday, as reported by operator SNCF. These “malicious acts,” including arson, disrupted train services and stranded thousands of commuters just hours before the Olympics opening ceremony.
