Korea's delegation sails on a boat in the Seine River during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, July 26. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has apologized for "an operational mistake" after South Korea was introduced as North Korea during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics.

Mark Adams, spokesperson for the IOC, called the gaffe "clearly, deeply regrettable."

"We apologize wholeheartedly," Adams said during an IOC press briefing Saturday, less than 24 hours after the incident happened during the ceremony on the Seine. "An operational mistake was made. We can only apologize, in an evening of so many moving parts, that this mistake was made."

When the South Korean delegation came floating down the river as the 48th nation Friday, the French-speaking announcer said through the PA system, "Republique populaire democratique de Coree," followed by the English announcement, "Democratic People's Republic of Korea," which is the official English designation of North Korea.

The subtitle on the broadcast feed, shown on giant screens along the Seine and on television for international viewers, correctly showed "Republic of Korea," South Korea's official name, in English.

North Korea was identified correctly when it entered the parade as the 153rd nation -- based on the alphabetical order in French.

Earlier in the day, the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee said IOC President Thomas Bach had offered to call South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, with KSOC chief Lee Kee-heung present, to apologize for the error, and also to meet with both KSOC chief Lee Kee-heung and South Korea's Vice Sports Minister Jang Mi-ran.

Lee, who is also an IOC member, asked for an official written IOC apology before Bach called Yoon, according to the KSOC. The IOC then told the South Korean committee that it would do so.

South Korea's sports ministry had said earlier Saturday that Jang had asked the IOC for a meeting with Bach.

The KSOC said the Paris organizing committee had offered an apology and promised that its head, Tony Estanguet, would deliver an apology in person later in the day.

South Korea's foreign ministry said it had contacted the French Embassy in Seoul to express its regret. The embassy apologized for "an incomprehensible mistake" and vowed to ask the Olympic organizing committee to prevent a recurrence.

A few hours after the opening ceremony, the IOC posted an apology on its official Korean-language X account, saying, "We'd like to deeply apologize over the mistake that occurred in the introduction of the South Korean delegation during the opening ceremony." The IOC did not post an apology on its English-language social media account. (Yonhap)