'Terribly sorry': Wrong Korean anthem played at Asian Games hockey

NAGOYA - Before their Asian Games hockey match against Bangladesh on Friday, the South Korean team was left perplexed when North Korea's national anthem sounded instead of their own. Standing at Green Stadium in Gifu, Japan, the South Korean players watched in bewilderment as the unfamiliar song played from the stadium announcer's loudspeaker.

The announcer promptly apologized, saying, "We are really sorry, terribly sorry. National anthem for the Republic of Korea, we played a different song," and added, "I'm really sorry."

South Korea emerged victorious in the match with a score of 5-0. The North Korean anthem is prohibited in South Korea, along with other symbols representing their wartime adversary. The Korean War, which lasted from 1950 to 1953, concluded with an armistice rather than a formal peace treaty, leaving North and South Korea technically still at war.

The Asian Games organizing committee has yet to comment on the unfortunate incident. South Korea has previously voiced complaints about various organizational issues at the Games, including basketball players' dissatisfaction with the dimensions of their living quarters and transport complications affecting preparations for the men's soccer team.