North Korean athletes take part in the opening ceremony for the ninth Asian Winter Games at Harbin International Conference, Exhibition and Sports Centre in Harbin, China, Feb. 7. Yonhap

North Korea's state media reported Monday that the Asian Winter Games have opened in the northeastern Chinese city of Harbin, where three North Korean athletes are participating.

The Rodong Sinmun, the North's main newspaper, reported the ninth Asian Games kicked off in Harbin on Friday, adding that Chinese President Xi Jinping and key international sports officials attended the opening ceremony.

A North Korean delegation, led by Sports Minister Kim Il-kuk, left Pyongyang on Wednesday to compete in the Asian Games.

North Korea has sent only three athletes — all of them figure skaters – to the Winter Games. Ryom Tae-ok and Han Kum-cho are participating in the pairs category and Ro Yong-myong in men's singles.

Ryom won a bronze for North Korea with her former partner, Kim Ju-sik, in the figure skating pairs event at the 2017 Asian Winter Games in Sapporo, Japan.

South Korea's unification ministry said North Korea may have reduced the size of its athletes delegation in order to only take part in medal-prospective events as its COVID-19 border controls probably increased the difficulty of training. (Yonhap)