North Korea's Anthem Surprises South Korea at Asian Games Event
WHO:
BBC News - South Korean men's hockey team
ABC News - South Korean field hockey players
ABC News - Organizing committee of the Asian Games
WHAT:
ABC News - South Korean players looked on, unsure of how to respond, with some standing at attention, others running their hands through their hair, and some placing their right hand over their heart during the North Korean anthem.
ABC News - The organizing committee quickly corrected the mistake and played the correct South Korean anthem after the North Korean anthem was played.
ABC News - The Asian Games feature more than 11,000 athletes, exceeding the number of participants in the Summer Olympics.
BBC News - The North Korean national anthem was played for the South Korean men's hockey team.
ABC News - South Korea won the match against Bangladesh with a score of 5-0.
ABC News - The organizing committee apologized for the mistake of playing the wrong anthem.
WHERE:
BBC News - Asian Games in Japan
ABC News - Nagoya, Japan
WHEN:
ABC News - The Asian Games officially open on "Saturday."
WHY:
ABC News - The situation was described as an “awkward mishap” by South Korea's Yonhap news agency.
HOW:
ABC News - The organizing committee played Bangladesh's national anthem first before playing South Korea's, but due to time constraints, the referee instructed players to exchange greetings while the South Korean anthem was still playing.
(UPDATED September 19, 2026 03:58 UTC)
During the Asian Games, which feature over 11,000 athletes, a significant mix-up occurred when the North Korean anthem was played instead of the South Korean anthem, leaving players visibly uncertain in their responses. Some stood at attention, while others ran their hands through their hair or placed their right hand over their heart. The organizing committee quickly rectified the error by playing the correct South Korean anthem shortly after the mistake.
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(UPDATED September 18, 2026 21:04 UTC)
In a notable incident at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, the North Korean national anthem was mistakenly played for the South Korean men's hockey team, which went on to win their match against Bangladesh with a decisive score of five to zero. The organizing committee has since apologized for this awkward mishap, which was described by South Korea's Yonhap news agency. The games are set to officially open on Saturday, and the committee had initially played Bangladesh's anthem before South Korea's, but time constraints led to players exchanging greetings while the South Korean anthem was still being played.