According to a report by Kyunghyang Shinmun this morning, the North Korean delegation at the Paris Olympics interrupted a press conference. It demanded that their country be referred to by its official name.
Ri Jong Sik and Kim Kum Yong from North Korea earned silver medals in yesterday’s mixed doubles table tennis. The two players attended the press conference as medalists, attracting significant attention as it marked the first time for North Korean athletes to speak at an official event.
A minor disruption occurred at the start of the press conference as the host introduced North Korea as North Korea instead of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
A representative from the North Korean team interrupted the press conference, demanding, “Please refer to us as DPR Korea.”
Despite a less tense atmosphere than in the past, North Korea insisted on using its official name at international events. According to Kyunghyang Shinmun, the host eventually corrected the term to DPR Korea, resolving the situation.
The issue of country names also caused controversy during the Paris Olympics opening ceremony. An announcer mistakenly introduced the South Korean team as North Korea. Although Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), apologized to South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol by phone, the incident remains a notable faux pas.
During the press conference, Ri Jong Sik and Kim Kum Yong expressed disappointment in winning the silver medal. After losing to China’s Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha, the top-ranked players in the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), Kim Kum Yong said, “I feel both happy and disappointed to be competing in my first international event at the Olympics. I could learn a lot playing against the world’s number one team from China.”
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