South Korean field hockey players were astonished on Friday during a men's hockey match against Bangladesh at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, when North Korea's national anthem was played instead of their own.
Reactions from South Korean players
The South Korean players looked on in confusion, unsure of how to react. Some players stood in respect, some adjusted their hair with their hands, and others placed their right hands over their hearts while the music played.
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Quick correction and match result
Organizers quickly rectified the mistake and played the correct national anthem. Ultimately, South Korea won 5-0 against Bangladesh. The Asian Games will officially open on Saturday.
The Yonhap News Agency described the situation as "an awkward mistake" and added: "The South Korean players, with their hands over their hearts in front of the flag of this country, could not hide their astonishment." The agency also noted that after realizing the mistake, organizers first played Bangladesh's national anthem and then played South Korea's national anthem.
However, due to the tight schedule before the match started, the referee instructed the players to greet each other while South Korea's national anthem was still playing, which led to the South Korean players starting the match without being able to sing their anthem.
Several matches at the Asian Games are held before the official opening of the games to accommodate the packed schedule that includes over 11,000 athletes.
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Source: abcnews.com
