Ri Jo-guk of North Korea, second from right, is congratulated by teammates after scoring a goal against the Asian Games at Zhejiang Normal University East Stadium in Jinhua, on Sept. 19. Yonhap

North Korea defeated Chinese Taipei 2-0 to kick off the Asian Games men's football competition in China on Tuesday, marking the reclusive country's return to the international sporting scene with an easy win.

Ri Jo-guk and Kim Kuk-jin scored a goal apiece for North Korea in Group F action at Zhejiang Normal University East Stadium in Jinhua, just southwest of the main Asiad host city of Hangzhou.

This is North Korea's first appearance at a multisport competition since the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia.

North Korea skipped the Tokyo Summer Olympics in 2021, citing COVID-19 concerns. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) suspended North Korea from competitions, and North Korea was not eligible for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

The ban was lifted at the end of last year, and with the Hangzhou Asiad having been postponed by a year due to the pandemic, North Korea was eligible to compete in China. It will have nearly 200 athletes competing in China. (Yonhap)