Olympic Gaffe — Apologizing to the Wrong Korea
South Korea, by utter contrast, shed authoritarian rule more than 20 years ago, to emerge as a thriving democracy. South Korea’s economy ranks among the world’s top 20. Its chief exports include assets as ships, cars and high-tech communications equipment. South Korea’s athletes have real reasons to be proud not only of their personal prowess, but also their country’s achievements.
The day may come when the Korean peninsula is reunited. When that happens, it is devoutly to be hoped that the flag flying over such an event will be that of South Korea, not the North. In that context, the London Olympic organizers are hardly guilty of the worst mistake they could have made with those Korean flags.
Actually, if truth in advertising is a genuine concern of the organizers of the London Olympics, they owe all of us an apology merely for listing North Korea, in these Olympics, under its official name: “Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.” Anyone remotely acquainted with the character of the Pyongyang regime surely knows that this official name is rank propaganda, a.k.a. a string of lies. North Korea is in no way “Democratic,” neither does it belong to its “People,” nor is it a “Republic.” It is a totalitarian prison state. And dignifying North Korea’s regime with groveling apologies, no matter what the gaffe, is an act far worse than any mixup of flags — all the more so for being deliberate, rather than what was apparently an accidental flag flub. In the interest of human decency, it would be entirely appropriate for the apologizers to now apologize to the world for their apologies to North Korea. But don’t hold your breath.
All of which is a great argument for not recognizing North Korea in the games in the first place. Having recognized them and allowed the to compete, get the flag right or apologize. Can you imagine the outrage if they showed the PRC flag instead of Chinese Taipei?
I agree, but remember that the Olympics is one of those fantasy worlds (like the UN) where we pretend every country is equal. I guess in the eyes of the athletes of those countries, who probably live a much better life than the average citizen, it’s a big deal.
North Koreans are on average about 6 inches shorter than their counterparts in South Korea because they’ve been so starved and stunted. If I were unfortunate enough to be one of these pint-sized podpeople competing at the Olympics I would be less worried about flag cockups and more worried about how to avoid getting trampled into grease spots by one’s brawnier opponents. We can only hope.
“Actually, if truth in advertising is a genuine concern of the organizers of the London Olympics, they owe all of us an apology merely for listing North Korea, in these Olympics, under its official name: “Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.”
Hideous regimes like North Korea should not even be allowed to go to the Olympics. We should not be giving killers like that a platform for promoting their totalitarian regimes. But, year after year, the Olympics resembles the United Nations, where not only is every murderous dictatorship embraced (just like Syria or Iran), but they are actually given the same standing as democracies like Britain and the United States.
Personally, I’ve had enough of that. I think I’ll be watching reruns of “24.” I think that will cheer me up more than the Olympics.
Everyone is so touchy….why not just let the mistake go and play the game as it was intended.
These are supposed to be held up with peace for all in mind…
Sometimes I think humans are too stupid to maintain peace.
Because when all you have is pride of place things like this are all you can get angry about. Tin pot dictators get angry at such affronts because to let it slide would show weakness to your imagined enemies and may lead to internal strife. Let them eat their flag, it will be the most fiber they get in years…
Interesting (and valid) point of view. An apology was called for, but not the crawling, self-flagellating, slobbery mewling we’ve seen. When you overdo things that way, you’re telling observers that it’s all show. If NoKo had any sense it would pass over the whole thing sans comment; but more likely it will slam the organizers and threaten to pull its teams out.
You know I’m all for goodwill and every nation should be in the Olympics, but North Korea should not be participating becuase of the way they treat their own people. If I was a player for North Korea and lost I would be afraid to go home. I just might get tortured.
No one wants Korea unified. Not the North, not the South, not China, and not the US. Unification, even peacefully, will be so expensive that it would bring down the Pacific economies, including the US even more so than the Muslim in Chief.
This is why everyone lets the nuts saber rattle and the cooler heads prevail. We all learned the hard lessen letting Germany reunite…and don’t think for a moment that the West Germans don’t regret that fiasco.
“We all learned the hard lessen letting Germany reunite…”
Care to expand on those “lessens” reverand?
Gladly. Sorry about the misspelling. I love the auto-correct feature on my phone.
There remains long term economic consequences for Western Germany where even to today, the West is heavily subsidizing the East. 870,000 Eastern Germans fled to the West, causing an incredible spike in unemployment. Right now, decades later, the unemployment rate in Eastern Germany is 12% and GNP is about 70% of Western Germany.
One could argue that if East Germany remained a distinct entity, gradually improving its system, it would have functioned better than the rapid shock, where the best and the brightest were able to flee, leaving Eastern German left with those without the skills and training necessary to compete in an open system.
Prior to re-unification, East Germany had the highest standard of living in the Soviet system. They had a higher GDP than in the USSR because the Soviets heavily subsidized front line nations for political reasons. Also, West German had a much larger population than East Germany. Even with this positive factors, Unification severely taxed the economy of Western Germany. It was enough that the entire European economy was depressed, though its difficult to isolate it for just one country.
North and South Korea would face even more of a problem peacefully unifying. Right now the global economy is in a much greater state of flux. 1990, the economy could sustain such a blow…today…I am not as certain. Also, the difference between the standard of living between North and South is stark. You are talking about a top end, 1st world economy attempting to absorb a barely functioning 3rd world economy overnight. Also, there North is a much smaller population difference between North and South. You would see overnight, a massive flood of economic refugees flooding both South Korea and China, severely stressing economic and support systems.
I would argue that a peaceful collapse of the North Korean government would lead to severe global consequences. The only situation that would be worse is if either side attempted to unify by military means.
I honestly believe that the North’s greatest threat is the massive number of economic refugees it has. I believe this is why so many nations are more interested in maintaining the current status rather than forcing the North to reform.
“There remains long term economic consequences for Western Germany where even to today, the West is heavily subsidizing the East.”
They still are. In the west we pay something called “Solidaritätszuschlag” and from what I heard the subsidies equate to €500 billion and still counting. A lot of money was spent an infrastucture, but they have a hard time luring investment into the east (even with tax breaks). The young fled for greener pastures a long time ago.
“where the best and the brightest were able to flee,..”
That damn “freedom” thing keeps raising its head.
“Prior to re-unification, East Germany had the highest standard of living in the Soviet system.”
And still had shortages like all east block countries. The buildings were still in bad shape and you could still find bullet holes in the walls from 1945. The fact that 25% of the popluation were snitches for the Stasi didn’t make it pleasant depspite the higher living standard than the rest.
“Even with this positive factors, Unification severely taxed the economy of Western Germany.”
Currently Germany is what keeps the whole EU afloat, so unification, despite the outcome, was affordable at the national level.
“I would argue that a peaceful collapse of the North Korean government would lead to severe global consequences.”
I disagree. China props up that giant concentration camp called North Korea and with preassure from them and the south, I peacefull transition could occur. I don’t see the NK regime going quietly into the night and besides China likes using NK as a proxy to keep the west off balance. Nevertheless it would be to everyones interest to see the regime in NK fall and Korean unified.
PS. I would recommend the book, “Aquariums in Pyongyang” if you have a chance of reading it.
A very intelligent and reasonable analysis. It would be great if the influential decision makers of the the world would listen, but don’t count on it.
no one wants korea unified?
well, you need to tell this to my wife’s family
they still refer to chosun as a single country and the north/south discrepancy is virtually ignored
they still have relatives trapped in the north and are waiting for the day the south and the unnamed ally will finish the job of reunification
If it had been the South Korean team on the field and they inadvertently displayed the North Korean flag, What would have happened? The South Koreans – being grownups – would have let it go and played. And the Olympic Committee probably would not have bothered apologizing.
Political correctness run amok.
Seems the Olympics weren’t happy with South Africa and I believe there may have been boycotts, Zola Budd had to run as English, rather than as South African.
China and Taiwan, had to have differences settled and in 1984 a new flag was designed for Taiwan,
And we accept N.Korea, and the question would be if boycott of South Africa was done, it could have been done to N.Korea.
The IOC is the same organization that refused a “moment” of silence for 11 murdered Israeli athletes on the 40th anniversary of that “incident.” And the uproar about the North Korean “insult” is coming from the IOC and the British political and media classes (and our media fools)–from NONE of whom have I heard ONE word about the “insult” to those dead Israelis from “fear” of insulting those states that to this day support terrorism and murder.
The entire Olympics is an example of hypocrisy run rampant from drugs, bribery and insolence to murder and placating murderous regimes by “playing games” with them! What a corrupt, disgraceful and ultimately meaningless event.
Let me bring everybody’s attention to what is happening in South Korea. South Koreans elected many self-proclaimed Joo Sah Pah, meaning the Kim Il-Sung communists, to the National Assembly in April. One of the commies whose name is Lee Suk Kee refused to recognize the ROK national anthem as the legitimate national anthem. I guess his national anthem is “Hail, Great Leader Kim Il-Sung!” What is the world coming to? UN under the South Korean Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has become a joke and anti-U.S., anti-South Korea, and anti-Israel. The Olympics is also a joke where sane people apologize to the murderous and insane. There is no end to this, while hundreds of thousands North Koreans are starving and suffering in North Korea and in China. God help them and us!