After just two days, NBC is recovering from two embarrassing missteps in their coverage of the Winter Olympcs in Pyeongchang.
One lead to the firing of NBC analyst Joshua Cooper Ramo, reported The Korea Times.
During the opening ceremonies, Ramo said “Every Korean will tell you that Japan is a cultural and technological and economic example that has been so important to their own transformation.”
The relationship between Korea and Japan is a sensitive topic in South Korea. The Korea Times said Koreans “suffered enormously” during the period of Japanese rule from 1910 to 1945.
Ramo’s remark drew outrage from South Koreans and others on social media.
“NBC issued an apology in a written letter to the Pyeongchang Organizing Committee, and on air, regarding the comments made by one of our presenters during our coverage of the opening ceremony,” the official said. “NBC has great respect and admiration for South Korea and its people.”
In another mistake during the Opening Ceremony, an NBC graphic incorrectly identified Pyeongchang as being in North Korea.
North and South Korea have made many gestures of unity during the Olympics including walking in the Opening Ceremony under the Unification Flag and forming a North-South Joint Korean women’s hockey team. However, the Olympics are being held in South Korea.
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