North Korean anthem played for South Korea at Asian Games

ByAlastair Telfer BBC Sport journalist. 18 September 2026, 16: 57 BST.

Key points

• Organisers have apologised for playing the North Korean national anthem for the South Korean men's hockey team at the Asian Games in Japan.
• After the 1950-53 conflict between the two concluded without a peace treaty, the two countries are still technically at war.
• South Korea's Yonhap news agency documented that Bangladesh's national anthem followed before South Korea's actual anthem was played.
• Field hockey at the Asian Games began on Friday and runs until 3 October.
• South Korea, who thrashed Bangladesh 5-0, looked confused as the incorrect national anthem was played.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency documented that Bangladesh's national anthem followed before South Korea's actual anthem was played. A stadium announcer did apologise for the mistake.

"This is a really serious difficulty. When we protested, they remarked, 'We're sorry. It wasn't that it wasn't prepared; there was a mistake on the part of those responsible for playing it', " South Korea coach Min Tae-seok remarked. "But this is something that simply should never happen."

North Korea's national anthem, along with other symbols of the secretive state, are banned in South Korea.

Notably, the build-up to the Asian Games. It officially starts on Saturday, has already seen complaints from teams regarding the quality and amount of accommodation.

Meanwhile, a member of the South Korea basketball team posted a video of a leaking pipe and soaked floor in his room, with the caption: "Please help me."

Some teams were additionally stranded at the airport for up to six hours when they landed this week.

For now, north Korean anthem played for South Korea at Asian Games remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.