WADA has told insidethegames that the OCA has "breached its signatory obligation" over the refusal to comply with sanctions imposed against North Korea which has been declared non-compliant.

Under WADA's rules, North Korea’s national flag cannot be flown at major sporting events other than the Olympic and Paralympic Games for as long as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Anti-Doping Committee (DPRK ADC) is non-compliant.

The flag has continued to feature at the Games and was on show during tonight's Closing Ceremony here.

A spokesperson from WADA claimed they were "disappointed" that the OCA had "not taken steps to comply with the terms of the DPRK's non-compliance".

"The OCA has breached its signatory obligation to respect the consequences of the DPRK NADO’s non-compliance, namely by flying the DPRK flag at the Asian Games," the spokesperson told insidethegames. 

"WADA takes this matter extremely seriously and has written to the OCA on several occasions before and after the Opening Ceremony of the Games, explaining in clear terms the possible consequences that could arise for the OCA if this matter is ignored. 

"WADA is disappointed that the OCA has to date not taken steps to comply with the terms of the DPRK’s non-compliance. 

"WADA will follow due process to ensure that the appropriate consequences are imposed for the OCA's refusal to meet its signatory obligations."

Speaking earlier, OCA acting director gender Vinod Kumar Tiwari claimed the organisation was working to resolve the "very sensitive issue" over the flying of North Korea’s flag at the Asian Games.

Tiwari admitted the situation was "not very easy to handle" but stressed that the organisation remained in constant dialogue with the WADA in a bid to reach a "mutually acceptable" agreement.

The DPRK ADC was declared non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code in October 2021 after WADA found "non-conformities" in its testing programme.

As insidethegames reported today, North Korean has agreed to open up to foreign visitors from anti-doping agencies in a bid to protect its sporting future.

Tiwari revealed the OCA was in discussion with WADA over the situation surrounding the presence of North Korea’s flag at the Games.

"We have been in touch with WADA on a daily basis and we are trying to resolve the issue," he said.

"The NOC (National Olympic Committee) of North Korea has also written a letter to them very recently.

"The borders have opened and they can send the doping control officers to do the testing which the WADA has agreed and will be shortly sending it to North Korea.

"In Hangzhou for the Asian Games, we are in touch with them and we are trying to resolve this issue, hopefully in the next couple of days [we will be able] to get through what WADA wants.

"It’s a very sensitive issue.

"It’s not very easy to handle but we are in touch with WADA on a daily basis and hopefully this will be resolved to be very mutually acceptable for both parties."

North Korea closed its already tight borders in early 2020 following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic and skipped the Olympics in Tokyo, re-arranged to take place in 2021 because of the pandemic.

It was then banned by the International Olympic Committee from last year's Winter Olympics in Beijing for failing to take part at Tokyo 2020 before the suspension was lifted at the end of last year.

The Asian Games marked North Korea’s first outing at a major multi-sport event since the last Asian Games at Jakarta Palembang 2018.

The country finished 10th in the overall standings with 11 golds, 18 silvers and 10 bronzes.

North Korean Sports Minister Kim Il-guk has been in this Chinese city for meetings with senior International Federation officials during the Asian Games.

Mohammed Jalood, the head of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), was among those to hold discussions with Kim.

Under the IWF rules, countries that block the entry of independent foreign testers become ineligible for its competitions.

A letter issued to WADA from the North Korean Sports Minister revealed that the country had "made provision for international testing authorities to be allowed entry into the DPRK for the purposes of sample collection".

WADA has also confirmed that North Korea’s NADO "has been conducting testing, including on weightlifters, and sending the samples to a WADA-accredited laboratory outside the country for analysis".

"WADA will continue to work with the NADO to strengthen the anti-doping system in DPRK in order to protect all athletes," WADA added.