world

The Ninth Winter Asian Games opened at the Harbin Intl Conf, Exhibition and Sports Centre in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China, on February 7.

Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony together with the president of the International Olympic Committee and the vice-president of the Asian Olympic Council.

A delegation of the DPRK Olympic Committee led by Minister of Physical Culture and Sports Kim Il Guk were present at the ceremony.

Teams from 30-odd countries and regions participating in the games, including the DPRK team, entered the venue.

Speeches were made there.

The opening of the games was declared and the flag of the council hoisted, followed by a ceremony of lighting the torch.