THREE North Korean shooters cried on the podium after winning the country’s first gold medal of the Hangzhou Asian Games today.

The trio saluted and dissolved into tears as the North Korean flag was raised in Hangzhou – in contravention of World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) rules.

It was North Korea’s first gold medal of the Games and their first in major international competition since the Covid-19 pandemic, having skipped the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and been barred from the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022.

Paek Ok-sim, Pang Myong-hyang and Ri Ji-ye triumphed in the 10m running target women’s team competition, ahead of Kazakhstan and Indonesia.

Another gold rolled in for North Korea from gymnast An Chang-ok in the women’s vault. Compatriot Kim Son-hyang took silver.

It took North Korea’s overall tally in Hangzhou to 11 medals.

Their flag was brandished at the opening ceremony and in medal ceremonies at the Games, despite supposedly being banned from doing so over doping violations.

Wada declared North Korea’s anti-doping body “non-compliant” in 2021 and slapped it with sanctions.

These included not being able to fly their flag at any regional, continental or world sports event, excluding the Olympics and Paralympics.

On Sunday, Olympic Council of Asia chief Raja Randhir Singh defended the organisation’s decision to allow North Korea to fly their flag.

“We are in discussions with it (Wada) and North Korea have written to it as well, explaining their position,” said Singh, the OCA acting president.

“We are explaining from our side as well.

“At present, the North Korean flag is flying and we will look into it and see what the future says.” – AFP, September 28, 2023.