Calling Indonesia The Country With The Lowest GDP And COVID-19 Vaccination Rate, The CEO Of Korean TV MBC Bows To Apologize

JAKARTA - South Korean national television MBC received protests from netizens from several countries for describing a number of participating countries with images and information that were considered offensive. This took place during the live broadcast of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics opening, Friday, July 23.

MBC introduced a number of countries with symbols and descriptions that offended many. When the Indonesian contingent represented by athletes Nurul Akmal (weightlifting) and Rio Waida (surfing) entered the parade area, MBC described Indonesia as one of the countries with the highest COVID-19 cases in the world.

"A little information about Indonesia, the largest archipelagic country in the world, the 4th most populous country in the world, has a low GDP, low vaccinations, and 6 percent of the population is infected with COVID-19", wrote MBC.

Not only introducing it as a country with a high spike in COVID-19 cases, but MBC also used a photo of a map of Indonesia with the wrong location because the description point actually showed Malaysia.

The next target country is Ukraine. In its Tokyo Olympics broadcast, MBC used images of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster to depict Ukraine. The image was released as Ukrainian athletes entered the stadium. MBC also provides a gastronomic description where pizza is for Italy, sushi is for Japan, and salmon is for Norway.

Realizing that he had made a mistake, MBC immediately apologized after the opening ceremony was over. However, the anger of netizens seemed to be unstoppable until finally the CEO of MBC also apologized officially.

MBC CEO, Park Sung-jae, apologized at a press conference on Monday, July 26, Korean time. By bowing and apologizing he acknowledged that his party had undermined the values of friendship, solidarity, and harmony at the Olympics.

"Our broadcast violates the Olympic spirit of friendship, solidarity, and unity in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. I bow my head and deeply apologize for our indiscriminate broadcast and lack of consideration for other countries", said Park Sung-jae, quoted from the koreaherald, Wednesday, July 28.

In addition to the apology in the press release, MBC also sent an official apology letter to the embassies of Ukraine, Romania, and other countries related to the live broadcast incident of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics opening.