WHILE the 2018 Winter Olympics is being held in the region of Pyeongchang, South Korea, many netizens are mistakenly using the hashtag #Pyongyang2018 to tweet about the Games.
Pyongyang is of course the capital city of neighbouring North Korea, located about 300 kilometres away. It seems many fans can’t tell the difference between the two though.
While tweeting about the opening ceremony of the Games on Sunday night, many netizens began tweeting their thoughts with #Pyongyang2018 and have continued to do so ever since.
The number of people tweeting about the #PyongChang2018 Olympics using the incorrect #PyongYang2018 tag is hilarious. Yes, I did it once too.
Remember the time Pedobear almost got made into an official Olympic mascot? pic.twitter.com/gCrAlkucJ3
— J-LIST – Your friend in Japan! (@jlist) February 14, 2018
The number of people who use the hashtag #pyongyang2018 instead of #pyeongchang2018 is kind of mind-blowing.
IT'S NOT THE SAME PLACE, PEOPLE!
— What we owe to each other (@HugoThePinkCat) February 13, 2018
Some people have realised their mistake, but many are just tweeting on in blissful ignorance.
Watching the #Pyongyang2018 opening ceremonies. South Korea has done a great job. Good luck to all participants. pic.twitter.com/cUsKddYyFW
— J-LIST – Your friend in Japan! (@jlist) February 9, 2018
Yes, it's SO COLD for the humans in #SouthKorea this morning. Luckily the ones selling the #DogMeat can make sure they keep warm. While the dogs tremble with terror & freezing temperatures. #Pyongyang2018 #DogMeatTrade Where is the condemnation? #TeamGB pic.twitter.com/8OWhZ9dJsZ
— Madeleine Anderson (@TheAgentMaddi) February 12, 2018
Getting in on the Olympic action, North Korea has actually built its own ski resorts, including a new one at Kanggye which was opened in January. Its team is competing in Pyeongchang, including fielding a joint women’s ice hockey squad with South Korea.
SEE ALSO: Winter Olympics kicks off in Pyeongchang
With all its new infrastructure Pyongyang may one day host the Winter Games, but not in 2018.
Even some high-profile media outlets like France24, USA Today and Japanese outlet Nikkan Sports were guilty of using the #Pyongyang2018 hashtag.
Olympics: "Don't count on a North Korean K-Pop invasion"
#F24Debate @France24_en #Olympics2018 #SouthKorea #NorthKorea #K-Pop #Pyongyang2018 pic.twitter.com/bs1UNCxbFR— FRANCE 24 Debate (@F24Debate) February 8, 2018
Team USA luger Emily Sweeney spun out of control and tumbled to the track. She refused a stretcher and walked away from the crash on her own. #Pyongyang2018 pic.twitter.com/5KwByUoVju
— Alex Ptachick (@alexptachick) February 13, 2018
Another Pyongyang2018 hashtag — this time from Nikkan Sports https://t.co/XRWSz6utvW
— Anna Fifield (@annafifield) February 14, 2018
These people are not the only foreigners to confuse the two place names. Back in 2014, a man from Kenya accidentally flew to Pyongyang after meaning to fly to Pyeongchang for a United Nations conference.
“By the time we were getting off the plane I had an eerie feeling that this was not Seoul,” he told the Wall Street Journal at the time.
