Flag embarrassment for LOCOG

A major flag blunder angered Korea DPR's women footballers in Glasgow as LOCOG, the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, was forced to apologise to the players at Hampden Park who saw their faces shown on big screens alongside South Korean flags.

It was a mistake that prompted Korea DPR to stage a protest, causing the kick-off against Colombia to be delayed by one hour and five minutes.

As the Korea DPR players warmed up on the pitch prior to the scheduled 7.45pm start time, they noticed the incorrect flag was being shown.

The squad walked off and could only be persuaded to return when the teams were announced again with each player's face displayed next to the North Korean flag.

A statement from LOCOG erad: "Today ahead of the women's football match at Hampden Park, the South Korean flag was shown on a big screen video package instead of the North Korean flag.

"Clearly this is a mistake, we will apologise to the team and the national Olympic committee and steps will be taken to ensure this does not happen again."

The Group G match eventually began at 8.50pm, local time, with only a scattering of supporters inside the 52,000-capacity stadium which had earlier staged the game between the United States and France.

The error was particularly unfortunate, given that South Korea and North Korea exist as neighbours but have a far from harmonious relationship.

The countries were formally established as separate entities in 1948, and the Korean War began in 1950.

Only two years ago, North Korean artillery shells killed four people, two from the military and two civilians, on Yeonpyeong Island in South Korea.