July 26, 2012
"We shouldn't over-inflate this episode - it was unfortunate, it shouldn't have happened and I think we can leave it at that.”
This is what British Prime Minister David Cameron had to say about the incident concerning the displaying of the flag of the Republic of Korea (South Korea) instead of that representing the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, when the women's football team of that nation went onto the pitch in preparation for their game against Columbia. The match, held at Hampden Stadium in Glasgow, was one of the first events of the 2012 Olympics, but it started over an hour late after the North Korean team stormed off in protest. Their representative at the International Olympic Committee admitted that their people were angry. Can anyone blame them?
Whatever apologies the team and country may have received, Cameron's "get over it" attitude does not help the situation. The two Koreas are still technically at war since the 1950-1953 conflict never formally ended and the deadly border clashes of November 2010 prove how volatile the situation is. How would Britain have reacted if found one of its teams playing under the banner of a country it was at war with? "So they stuck a swastika over Britain in stead of the Union Jack? Oh well, mistakes happen, now let's move on..." Not very likely; we would probably have ended up with one of Churchill's iconic speeches instead.
Hospitality and diplomacy are not trivial matters and the "mistake" and the Prime Minister's reaction to it indicate that there is something seriously wrong somewhere, even if it is simply the education system in Britain or the lack of savoir faire of some of its politicians.
Flag of North Korea
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