The CBC is facing international backlash after repeatedly misidentifying South Korean athletes as Chinese during its Winter Olympics coverage, prompting formal complaints from Seoul and renewed scrutiny of the state broadcaster’s credibility.Blacklock's Reporter says the network acknowledged the errors after sportscasters on three separate occasions over three days referred to South Korean competitors Koo Kyung-Min, Choi Minjeong and Hong Sujung as Chinese during live broadcasts.“CBC Olympics misidentified the nationality,” the broadcaster said in a statement, offering a correction but no public apology.According to South Korea’s The Chosun Daily, complaints were lodged by faculty at Sungshin Women’s University in Seoul, who said the mistakes were repeated across multiple events.“South Korean athletes in various events were continuously introduced as Chinese athletes,” the newspaper quoted one complainant as saying.The Daily added that while a single mistake might be understandable, repeatedly misidentifying athletes from women’s short track to men’s speed skating amounted to a serious error. It said attention now turns to how CBC will handle future broadcasts and reporting.Complainants also noted that while the CBC issued corrections, it did not include an apology.The controversy has raised questions about the broadcaster’s commitment to its own 2025 Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Plan, in which CBC pledged sensitivity toward people of all nationalities and ethnic origins..“Equity, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our vision to be an inspiring public service media company and with this plan we are making them a part of how we measure our success,” the plan states. “To be accountable to our audiences and ourselves, we will openly and diligently communicate our progress. We want people of all backgrounds, identities and abilities to feel valued, seen and heard by CBC.”The Olympics blunder is being compared to a 2018 diplomatic embarrassment at Rideau Hall, when German flags were mistakenly displayed during a state visit by Belgium’s monarch. Germany invaded Belgium in both 1914 and 1940.In a Commons filing at the time, cabinet acknowledged the mistake, saying a staff member had confused the two flags, which share the same colours but differ in stripe orientation. Officials apologized immediately to Belgian representatives and later to the ambassador and chief of protocol.Rideau Hall was also forced into damage control in 1999 when it prematurely issued a message of condolence for Jordan’s King Hussein — who was still alive at the time.
