North Korean Anthem Mistakenly Played for South Korean Hockey Team at Asian Games

An embarrassing audio gaffe occurred at the Asian Games when the national anthem of North Korea was played instead of South Korea's before a men's field hockey match against Bangladesh. South Korean players appeared perplexed as the wrong anthem played, with some standing at attention and others placing a hand over their heart.

Organizers quickly rectified the mistake, playing Bangladesh's anthem and then South Korea's. However, the delay meant the South Korean anthem was still playing as the referee instructed the players to begin the match, preventing them from singing along.

South Korea went on to win the match 5-0. The Asian Games, which officially open on Saturday, feature over 11,000 athletes and have scheduled some matches before the opening ceremony to accommodate a packed calendar.

The incident was described as an "awkward mishap" by South Korea's Yonhap news agency. The competition is taking place in Nagoya, Japan.