North Korean anthem played by mistake before South Korea’s hockey match

South Korea’s men’s hockey team experienced visible confusion and bewilderment on Friday when the national anthem of North Korea was erroneously performed ahead of their Asian Games match against Bangladesh in Nagoya, Japan.

What happened during the anthem ceremony

Players stood motionless, uncertain how to respond. Some assumed formal attention posture; others ran hands through their hair, while several placed their right hands over their hearts — all while the wrong anthem played. The official South Korean flag remained raised throughout the incident.

The organizing committee swiftly intervened to correct the error. After realizing the mistake, officials first played Bangladesh’s national anthem, then proceeded with South Korea’s correct anthem. However, due to time constraints before the scheduled kickoff, the match referee instructed players to exchange greetings while South Korea’s anthem continued playing — meaning the team began competition without having sung their national anthem.

Media reaction and official description

South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency described the incident as an “embarrassing error.” It reported that “while standing with hands over their hearts before the raised South Korean flag, the South Korean players could not conceal the astonishment that overcame them.”

Context of the Nagoya Asian Games

The Asian Games in Nagoya — officially set to open Saturday — have already begun preliminary competitions to accommodate a tightly packed schedule. More than 11,000 athletes are participating, a figure exceeding the number of competitors at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.

Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. The North Korean anthem is mistakenly played for the South Korean team. pic.twitter.com/SycDoRWlF1

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