An incorrect South Korean flag is raised during the women’s 3,000-meter relay medal ceremony at the Milan Ice Skating Arena in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 18. [Photo=Yonhap]
It was disclosed after the fact that an incorrect South Korean flag was raised during short track speed skating medal ceremonies at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics.
The organizing committee used a flag with the taegeuk symbol tilted counterclockwise — a design that differs from the official standard — during the women’s 3,000-meter relay medal ceremony held at the Milan Ice Skating Arena in Milan, it said on Feb. 19 (Korea time).
South Korea won gold in the event after finishing first in the final. Choi Min-jeong, Kim Gil-li (both Seongnam City Hall), Noh Do-hee (Hwaseong City Hall), Shim Suk-hee (Seoul City Hall) and Lee So-yeon (Sport Toto) stood on the podium.
The same incorrect design was also used at three other medal ceremonies: the men’s 1,000 meters on Feb. 13 (Lim Jong-eon, bronze), the men’s 1,500 meters on Feb. 15 (Hwang Dae-heon, silver) and the women’s 1,000 meters on Feb. 16 (Kim Gil-li, bronze).
A Korean Sport and Olympic Committee official said Feb. 20 that for each Olympics, the government provides the organizing committee with the official flag file and the national anthem audio, adding, “This was not our mistake.”
The official said the committee will decide whether to respond after an internal review.
The organizing committee used a flag with the taegeuk symbol tilted counterclockwise — a design that differs from the official standard — during the women’s 3,000-meter relay medal ceremony held at the Milan Ice Skating Arena in Milan, it said on Feb. 19 (Korea time).
South Korea won gold in the event after finishing first in the final. Choi Min-jeong, Kim Gil-li (both Seongnam City Hall), Noh Do-hee (Hwaseong City Hall), Shim Suk-hee (Seoul City Hall) and Lee So-yeon (Sport Toto) stood on the podium.
The same incorrect design was also used at three other medal ceremonies: the men’s 1,000 meters on Feb. 13 (Lim Jong-eon, bronze), the men’s 1,500 meters on Feb. 15 (Hwang Dae-heon, silver) and the women’s 1,000 meters on Feb. 16 (Kim Gil-li, bronze).
A Korean Sport and Olympic Committee official said Feb. 20 that for each Olympics, the government provides the organizing committee with the official flag file and the national anthem audio, adding, “This was not our mistake.”
The official said the committee will decide whether to respond after an internal review.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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