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

The South ​Korean men's hockey team ​were left bemused before ‌their Asian ​Games match against Bangladesh on Friday when North Korea's national anthem was ‌played instead of their own. Lined up before the match, the South Korean players looked around in confusion as the anthem rang ‌out at Green Stadium in Gifu, Japan.

The stadium announcer ‌was quick to apologise for the mistake. "We are really sorry, terribly sorry. National anthem for the Republic of Korea, we played a different ⁠song," he ​said.

"I'm really ⁠sorry." South Korea won the match 5-0.

The North Korean national anthem is banned ⁠in South Korea along with other symbols of their wartime foes. The ​1950-1953 Korean War ended in an armistice rather than ⁠a peace treaty, meaning the North and South are still technically at ⁠war.

The ​Asian Games organising committee did not provide immediate comment on the anthem mix-up. South Korea has complained of a ⁠number of organisational problems at the Games, with basketball players unhappy ⁠with ⁠the size of their rooms and transport issues disrupting preparations for the men's soccer team, the ‌defending ‌champions.