Italy entered alongside an image of pizza, while El Salvador was introduced with a picture representing Bitcoin.
MBC released a statement after a tsunami of backlash: "In today's Opening Ceremony broadcast, inappropriate photos were used when introducing countries like Ukraine and Haiti. Also, inappropriate photos and subtitles were used for other countries. We apologise to the viewers of Ukraine and other countries."
The drama comes after TVNZ was heavily criticised for cutting to an ad break during a minute's silence held for Covid victims during the opening ceremony.
While TVNZ had made viewers aware beforehand the coverage would not be an uninterrupted affair, it had noted it would only cut to ad breaks at carefully chosen moments.