MOSCOW, April 25. /TASS/. North Korea’s Sports Ministry will send a large delegation to the 2024 World Friendship Games in Russia, the North Korean Embassy to Moscow told TASS.

"Our athletes and teams will attend the Games, and the North Korean Sports Ministry will send an impressive delegation," the embassy said.

A total of 5,500 people will take part in the World Friendship Games, to be hosted by Moscow and Yekaterinburg. From September 15-29, athletes will compete in a number of events for a total prize purse of 4.6 billion rubles ($49.9 mln). The opening and closing ceremonies will be held in the Russian capital.

Earlier, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) urged foreign athletes and governments to shun the Friendship Games as it claimed the impending international multi-sport competition was "purely politically motivated." Russia has rejected these allegations, calling on the IOC to give the sporting event a chance.