[EXCLUSIVE] NBC analyst relieved from Olympic coverage for offending Koreans

Joshua Cooper Ramo

By Jung Min-ho

NBC Sports analyst Joshua Cooper Ramo has been relieved from its PyeongChang Olympic coverage after enraging many Koreans with ignorant remarks about their country.

An NBC Sports spokesperson, who refused to be named, told The Korea Times Sunday that Ramo has been removed from the role.

"It was possible for him to do more with us here; now it is no longer possible," the official said.

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Ramo angered Koreans here and overseas by saying during the opening ceremony on Friday, "Every Korean will tell you that Japan is a cultural and technological and economic example that has been so important to their own transformation."

NBC apologized for the comment.

"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."

The official explained that NBC hired 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."

But his incorrect and insensitive comment about Korea's history angered many people. Tens of thousands of Koreans and non-Koreans alike criticized the statement on social media, urging NBC and Ramo to correct the misinformation and apologize.

But the former NBC analyst has not apologized.

Japanese rule (1910-45) is one of the most sensitive political issues for Koreans, who suffered enormously during that period.

In the United States, the Olympics is exclusively broadcast on NBC.

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