The North Korean Women’s football team abandoned their game with Colombiain Glasgowafter their images were shown on a screen besides a South Korean flag. The game which was scheduled for 19:45 hours was then delayed for over an hour before commencement.
According to words from Games organizer inLondon, the error occurred when a video package was being shown ahead of kick – off, with the North Koreans noticing that their faces were being pictured alongside the South Korean flag.
The players decided to walk off the pitch abandoning the game and could only be persuaded to return when displayed next to the North Korean flag.
It would be recalled that Relations between the two Koreans are tens – they remain technically at war following the 1950 – 53 Korean conflict, which ended in an armistice.
North Korean did eventually beatColombia2 – 0 in the second Olympic Football game held atHampdenParkon Wednesday.
Speaking after the match, North Korean’s coach Sin Ui Gun said, “our team was not going to continue with the match unless the problem was showed properly.
“Unfortunately it took sometime later for the broadcast to be done again properly and we made the decision to go on with the match.
“Our players cannot be shown especially with other flags, especially, the South Korean flag.
“If this matter had not been solved, continuing would have been nonsense,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, London 2012 Spokesman Andy Mitchell said; “The South Korean flag was shown in the video package on the screen before kick – off and the North Koreans were naturally very upset about that.
“We have made full apology to the team and the North Korean NOC. A genuine mistake was made for which we apologize,” he said.
The first event of the Olympics got under way at 16:00 hours atCardiff’s millennium stadium on Wednesday and ended in a win for team GB overNew Zealandin the women’s football. Two matches also took place at the city ofCoventrystadium.
