Asian Games Blunder: North Korean National Anthem Played For South Korean Hockey Team

Last Updated:September 18, 2026, 4:14 PM IST

Asian Games organisers mistakenly played North Korea’s anthem for South Korea’s hockey team, angering officials.

A stadium announcer apologised for the blunder. (Screengrab)

Asian Games organisers mistakenly played North Korea’s national anthem before South Korea’s men’s hockey match on Friday, prompting an apology after the incident.

The error added to growing frustration among South Korean officials just a day before Saturday’s opening ceremony in Nagoya.

South Korea went on to beat Bangladesh 5-0, but the pre-match proceedings were disrupted when the North Korean anthem was played instead of South Korea’s.

The South Korean players, who had assembled for their national anthem, appeared confused as the unfamiliar song played around the stadium.

The Asian Games organisers subsequently played Bangladesh’s anthem before eventually putting on South Korea’s, according to the South Korean news agency Yonhap.

The confusion continued even as the anthem was being played. The referee instructed players from both teams to shake hands and prepare for the match before the South Korean anthem had finished, Yonhap reported.

A stadium announcer later apologised for the mistake, but South Korea coach Min Tae-seok expressed his anger over what had happened.

“This is a really serious problem. When we protested, they said, ‘We’re sorry. It wasn’t that it wasn’t prepared, there was a mistake on the part of those responsible for playing it’,” he said.

“But this is something that simply should never happen.”

A South Korean Olympic committee official said an investigation was under way to establish exactly how the mistake occurred.

“We are currently looking into the matter to verify the exact facts,” the official told AFP.

The anthem mix-up comes as the build-up to the Games has already been marked by complaints from participating teams over the quality and quantity of accommodation.

There were also reports of teams being left waiting at the airport for as long as six hours after arriving this week.

With AFP Inputs

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What mistake did Asian Games organisers make before South Korea’s hockey match?

Asian Games organisers mistakenly played North Korea’s national anthem before South Korea’s men’s hockey match against Bangladesh.

How did South Korean officials and coaches react to the anthem mix-up?

South Korean coach Min Tae-seok expressed deep anger over the incident, calling it a serious problem that should never happen, while a South Korean Olympic committee official stated an investigation was underway.

What other issues have plagued the build-up to the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games?

Prior to the anthem mix-up, participating teams complained about the quality and quantity of accommodation, as well as being left waiting at the airport for up to six hours.

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Feroz Khan

Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience …Read More

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