During the ongoing Asian Games held in Japan, a significant protocol error occurred when the national anthem of North Korea was played instead of the South Korean anthem. The incident took place immediately before a field hockey match scheduled between South Korea and Bangladesh.

While the event was intended to follow standard international sporting procedures, the technical or administrative oversight led to the broadcast of the wrong anthem to the stadium audience. Asian Games organizers have acknowledged the mistake, though specific details regarding the cause of the error—such as whether it was a human error by the sound technician or a database upload issue—have not been officially clarified. The match proceeded after the correction was made, and there have been no reports of diplomatic fallout or formal protests from the South Korean delegation regarding the incident at this time. The event highlights the logistical challenges of managing complex multi-sport international competitions where national symbols are frequently utilized.