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North Korean athletes head to an arena after leaving the athletes’ village at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games on Sept. 21. (Yoon Woon-sik/The Hankyoreh)

North Korean athletes competing in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou arrived at the arena where they will be competing on Thursday after staying in the athletes’ village in the Chinese city. Reporters there covering South Korean athletes’ arrival at the athletes' village quickly turned their cameras to the North Korean athletes.

Wearing sweat suits emblazoned with the North Korean flag, the athletes stood in line for screening as they prepared to move to another arena.

North Korean athletes head to an arena after leaving the athletes’ village at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games on Sept. 21. (Yoon Woon-sik/The Hankyoreh)

South Korean reporters said hello in Korean to the athletes from the North as they passed through security. The athletes said nothing other than to “save the pictures for when we’re in the arena,” before leaving the screening area.

While the athletes wore masks, other North Korean staff appeared not to.

North Korean athletes head to an arena after leaving the athletes’ village at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games on Sept. 21. (Yoon Woon-sik/The Hankyoreh)

North Korea sent 185 athletes to China to compete in 18 disciplines. The Asian Games are the first time in five years that North Korea is representing itself at an international sports competition, following its decision not to participate in the Tokyo Olympics due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

North Korean athletes head to an arena after leaving the athletes’ village at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games on Sept. 21. (Yoon Woon-sik/The Hankyoreh)

North Korean athletes head to an arena after leaving the athletes’ village at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games on Sept. 21. (Yoon Woon-sik/The Hankyoreh)

By Yoon Woon-sik, senior staff writer

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