South Korea Expresses Regret after Its Athletes Introduced as North Korea at Opening Ceremony

 Athletes of South Korea travel by boat along the Seine river during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP)
Athletes of South Korea travel by boat along the Seine river during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP)
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South Korea Expresses Regret after Its Athletes Introduced as North Korea at Opening Ceremony

 Athletes of South Korea travel by boat along the Seine river during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP)
Athletes of South Korea travel by boat along the Seine river during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP)

South Korea expressed regret that its delegation of athletes at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony on Friday was introduced as from rival North Korea and has demanded assurances from organizers the mistake will not happen again.

As the boat carrying South Korean athletes passed on the Seine, the announcer introduced them as the "Democratic People's Republic of Korea" - the official name of North Korea - in French and English.

The announcer used the same introduction when the North Korean delegation passed.

South Korea's vice minister for sports and culture, Jang Mi-ran, who was in Paris, had requested a meeting with International Olympics Committee President Thomas Bach, the ministry said in a statement.

"We express regret that the country was introduced as North Korea at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games when the athletes of the Republic of Korea were entering," it said.

South Korea's National Olympic Committee immediately referred the incident to the Games' organizers and requested that the error will not be repeated.

South Korea's delegation includes 143 athletes competing in 21 events. North Korea, which is returning to the Games for the first time since Rio 2016, has sent 16 athletes.



Toulouse Coach Injured During French League Game Against Lille

05 October 2024, France, Villeneuve-D'ascq: Lille's Mitchel Bakker celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the French Ligue 1 soccer match between Lille OSC (LOSC) and Toulouse FC at Pierre Mauroy Stadium. Photo: Matthieu Mirville/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
05 October 2024, France, Villeneuve-D'ascq: Lille's Mitchel Bakker celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the French Ligue 1 soccer match between Lille OSC (LOSC) and Toulouse FC at Pierre Mauroy Stadium. Photo: Matthieu Mirville/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
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Toulouse Coach Injured During French League Game Against Lille

05 October 2024, France, Villeneuve-D'ascq: Lille's Mitchel Bakker celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the French Ligue 1 soccer match between Lille OSC (LOSC) and Toulouse FC at Pierre Mauroy Stadium. Photo: Matthieu Mirville/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
05 October 2024, France, Villeneuve-D'ascq: Lille's Mitchel Bakker celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the French Ligue 1 soccer match between Lille OSC (LOSC) and Toulouse FC at Pierre Mauroy Stadium. Photo: Matthieu Mirville/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

In the excitement of his team scoring, the coach of Toulouse ended up with a twisted ankle on Saturday.
Carles Martinez Novell suffered what looked like a minor injury during his side's French league match at Lille when he slipped during Toulouse's opening goal.
The Spanish coach fell along the touchline as he tried to follow the action that led to forward Zakaria Aboukhlal's goal in the 39th minute.
Martinez Novell limped back to the bench where he received treatment on his right ankle from the medical staff. He carried on coaching his players afterwards.