Story perspectives

South Korea Protests Japan After Wrong Anthem Played

By Drooid · Sep 18, 2026, 3:21 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Japan’s Asian Games organizers played North Korea’s anthem instead of South Korea’s before the men’s field hockey match versus Bangladesh.
The announcer apologized, stopped the North Korea anthem, then played Bangladesh’s anthem and South Korea’s.
South Korea filed a formal protest demanding an apology from the organizing committee.
South Korea officials also complained that police blocked their flag and a Toyotomi Hideyoshi display appeared at the athletes’ village.

History

Historical Context

During the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the Olympic Committee faced a crisis when Taiwan’s flag was barred from ceremony, sparking protests from the Republic of China. The Games hosted 11,028 athletes from 204 nations, and the IOC spent roughly $40 billion on venues and extensive security measures. Similarly, Japan’s 2023 Asian Games organizers played North Korea’s anthem before South Korea’s hockey match against Bangladesh, prompting a protest from Seoul and flag complaints. These incidents show how sports events become flashpoints for inter-Korean tensions, urging organizers to enforce stricter protocol to avoid diplomatic fallout.

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Story summary

Japan’s Asian Games organizers played North Korea’s anthem instead of South Korea’s before the men’s field hockey match versus Bangladesh.
The announcer apologized, stopped the North Korea anthem, then played Bangladesh’s anthem and South Korea’s.
South Korea filed a formal protest demanding an apology from the organizing committee.
South Korea officials also complained that police blocked their flag and a Toyotomi Hideyoshi display appeared at the athletes’ village.

1 / 2