A string of controversies targeted the South Korean delegation at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games ahead of Saturday’s opening ceremony:
- Wrong anthem (Sept 18): North Korea’s national anthem was played instead of South Korea’s before the men’s field hockey match against Bangladesh at Kakamigahara Green Stadium in Gifu Prefecture. The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee filed a formal protest demanding an apology. South Korea won 5-0.
- Flag confiscated at Nagoya Airport: When South Korean athletes attempted to exit the airport carrying a large taegukgi flag, airport authorities intervened and confiscated it, citing local regulations.
- Toyotomi Hideyoshi appearance: At the athletes’ village welcome event, a group dressed as Toyotomi Hideyoshi — the 16th-century warlord who instigated the Imjin War invasion of Korea in 1592 — made an appearance. The organizers said it was part of local tourism content. South Korea filed a formal complaint with the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).
The South Korean media framed all three as part of a pattern of repeated incidents targeting their delegation, with the Chosun Ilbo headlining it as “Toyotomi Appearance, Flag Block Among Repeated Incidents Targeting South Korean Delegation.” The organizing committee has apologized for the anthem error and stated there was no intention to endorse specific historical figures.
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