Olympics: South Korea wrongly introduced as North Korea

Olympic organizers have issued a "deep apology" after South Korean athletes were mistakenly introduced as North Korean during the opening ceremony in Paris.

As the excited, flag-waving South Korean team floated down the River Seine, both French and English announcers referred to them as the "Democratic People's Republic of Korea" – the official name of North Korea.

The correct name was used later when North Korea's delegation sailed past.

The two Koreas have been divided since the end of World War II, with tensions between the states escalating recently.

Despite the error, the subtitle at the bottom of the television broadcast displayed the correct title.

The South Korean sports ministry announced plans to lodge a "strong complaint with France on a government level" over the embarrassing mistake.

In a statement, the ministry expressed "regret over the announcement... where the South Korean delegation was introduced as the North Korean team."

The statement also noted that the second vice sports minister, Jang Mi-ran, a 2008 Olympic weightlifting champion, had requested a meeting with Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued an apology on its official Korean-language X account, stating: "We would like to offer a deep apology over the mistake that occurred in the introduction of the South Korean delegation during the opening ceremony."

South Korea, formally known as the Republic of Korea, has 143 athletes in its Olympic team this year, competing in 21 sports.

North Korea has sent 16 athletes, marking its first participation in the games since Rio 2016.