North Korea got their Olympic campaign off to a winning start - but only after a delayed start which brought great embarrassment to London 2012 organising committee LOCOG.

• North Korea protest over flag gaffe

The scheduled 19.45 BST kick-off was pushed back to 20.50 BST after the North Korean players noticed in the pre-match build up that their faces were being displayed on the big screens next to the South Korean flag.

They promptly left the field and only returned once the problem had been rectified, with LOCOG swiftly issuing an apology.

The LOCOG statement read: "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."

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.

Once the match got under way, North Korea proved too strong for their South American opponents with a double from Song Hui Kim giving them a 2-0 win.

Kim opened the scoring with a scrappy finish after 39 minutes but showed great composure four minutes from time to lift the ball over Sandra Sepulveda after the goalkeeper had spilled a routine cross.

North Korea can advance to the quarter-finals for the first time should they beat France on Saturday, with Colombia needing something against reigning Olympic champions the United States to avoid elimination in another double-header at Hampden.