A South Korean television network is apologizing for using “inappropriate” images and captions during its broadcast of the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics.
South Korean network MBC used various questionable images to illustrate participating countries at Friday’s ceremony.
MBC, for example, used images of pizza to describe Italy, Chernobyl for Ukraine and salmon for Norway as those countries were announced.
MBC also ran a caption describing the current situation in Haiti relating to President Jovenel Moise’s assassination earlier this month and referred to the U.S Marshalls Islands as a former nuclear site for the U.S, according to Yahoo Sports.
After swift criticism online, the South Korean network apologized, saying “inappropriate images and captions” were used to “introduce” the stories of each country, Reuters reported.
“Inappropriate images and captions were used to introduce some stories. We apologised to those countries including Ukraine and our viewers,” MBC wrote in their statement.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics kicked off on Friday with U.S. swimmer Chase Kailz winning the first Gold Medal for Team USA in the men’s 400-meter individual medley final on Sunday.