South Korea Hockey Team Left Confused After North Korean Anthem Played by Mistake at Asian Games

The South Korean men’s field hockey team experienced a moment of total confusion ahead of their match against Bangladesh at the Asian Games on Friday when the North Korean national anthem was mistakenly played instead of their own.

As the players lined up at Green Stadium in Gifu, Japan, the South Korean athletes exchanged bewildered looks while the wrong anthem echoed across the venue. The stadium announcer promptly issued an apology for the severe blunder, stating, "We are really sorry, terribly sorry. National anthem for the Republic of Korea, we played a different song. I’m really sorry."

Despite the awkward pre-match mix-up, South Korea recovered to secure a dominant 5-0 victory over Bangladesh.

The incident carries significant political weight, as the North Korean national anthem and other symbols of their wartime foes are strictly banned in South Korea. The 1950-1953 Korean War concluded in an armistice rather than a peace treaty, leaving the North and South technically still at war.

The Asian Games organising committee did not immediately offer a comment regarding the anthem error. This mishap adds to a growing list of complaints from South Korea regarding logistical and organisational challenges at the games, which have previously included dissatisfaction among basketball players over room sizes and transportation disruptions affecting the preparations of the men’s football team, who are the defending champions.