(ATR) Remarks made by an NBC commentator during the American network’s broadcast of the Opening Ceremony is causing a furor in South Korea.
Jung Min-ho of the Korea Times reported that tens of thousands of Koreans and non-Koreans took to social media to criticize NBC Asian correspondent Joshua Cooper Ramo and NBC, calling for a correction and apology.
NBC did issue an apology which was read by an anchor on NBC Sports Network in the United States.
It read in its entirety: "During our coverage of the Parade of Nations on Friday we said it was notable that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made the trip to Korea for the Olympics, "representing Japan, a country which occupied Korea from 1910 to 1945 but every Korean will tell you that Japan is a cultural, technological and economic example that has been so important to their own transformation." We understand the Korean people were insulted by these comments and we apologize."
Ramo’s work with NBC at the Winter Games is over, though the network did not say if he was reprimanded in any way.
An NBC spokesperson would only tellAround the Rings "We hired Joshua Cooper Ramo to serve as an Asia expert during the Opening Ceremony. His role was to give an overview to our viewers of the host country and this region of the world. Ramo has completed his responsibilities for NBC in PyeongChang, and he will have no further role on our air."
The spokesperson added that "NBC has great respect and admiration for South Korea and its people."
The comments by Ramo elicited the angry responses because they insinuated that Japan's 35 years of brutal colonial rule over Korea were forgotten by South Koreans.
Among the issues that Abe and South Korean President Jae in Moon were expected to talk about during Abe’s visit to the PyeongChang Games is the deal made to settle the comfort women issue.
Under the previous South Korean administration, Abe’s government agreed to pay damages to the surviving women who were forcibly conscripted by the Japanese army in World War II and served as sex slaves. When signed the agreement was deemed "final and irreversible". But last month Moon said the bilateral agreement was flawed.
Cyber attack, Norovirus Updates
PyeongChang organizers say they know what caused the "issues" that resulted in the Internet protocol televisions (IPTVs) at the Main Press Center to malfunction during the Opening Ceremony.
But they aren’t telling anyone, citing security protocols.
"We know the cause of that problem but that kind of issues occur very frequently during the Olympic Games and we have decided with the IOC that we’re not going to reveal the source," POCOG spokesman Baik You Sung told reporters at the daily briefing on Sunday.
IOC spokesman Mark Adams explained that the secrecy is "normal practice" when dealing with secure operations.
"You wouldn’t start giving the details of the investigation before its come to an end, particularly when it involves security which at these Games is incredibly important. I’m sure you appreciate the need to maintain the security of our systems."
Adams admitted that he did not know if the full report, when completed, would ever be released.
The Norovirus outbreak appears to be subsiding. The POCOG spokesman says that of the 158 cases reported as of yesterday, only 19 remain under observation and that no athletes were reported to be affected.
High Winds Cause Schedule Changes
High winds and safety concerns have adversely affected two events on Sunday in PyeongChang – the men’s downhill at Jeongseon Alpine Center and ladies snowboard slopestyle qualifications at Bokwang Phoenix Park.
The men’s downhill has been pushed back until Thursday while the qualification round for slopestyle was cancelled with all competitors advancing to the two-run final on Monday.
Before the weather intervened, Red Gerard gave the United States its first gold medal of the Games taking the men’s snowboard slopestyle competition at Bokwang Phoenix Park.
Gerard is the youngest Olympic snowboarding gold medalist ever at 17 years, 227 days, eclipsing fellow American Kelly Clark, who won the halfpipe in 2002 at age 18.
"I'm shaking right now, maybe from the cold, or from the excitement, I don't know," Gerard said. "Just to land a run would have been plenty for me and to get on the podium, but to get first is crazy."
Gerard’s victory gives the U.S. back-to-back snowboard slopestyle gold medals as Sage Kotsenburg took top honors in Sochi 2014 at the Olympic debut of the high-flying event.
Written by Gerard Farekand Brian Pinelli in Pyeongchang.
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