The Olympic Committee of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (PRK NOC) had been banned by the IOC in September last year after it did not turn up to compete at the re-arranged Games in Tokyo.

IOC President Thomas Bach claimed the PRK NOC had breached the Olympic Charter by "failing to fulfil their obligation" to send athletes to the compete in the Japanese capital.

North Korea was the only NOC not represented at the Games in Japan, a country it has never formally established diplomatic relations with. 

The suspension meant that North Korea missed the opportunity to compete at this year's Winter Olympics in Beijing, which the country under its Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un blamed on "hostile forces".

The IOC Executive Board, on the second day of its meeting here, has now decided that it will not extend the ban beyond December 31.

"The suspension of the DPRK NOC will end automatically on December 31, 2022," James Macleod, the director of Olympic Solidarity and NOC relations at the IOC, said.

It means that, barring any more problems, North Korea should be able to compete at Paris 2024. 

Tokyo 2020 had been the first Summer Olympics North Korea had not competed in since missing the 1988 Games held in South Korea's capital Seoul.

North Korea had also missed the previous Olympics in Los Angeles four years earlier after joining the Soviet Union-led boycott. 

Since making its debut in the Summer Olympics at Munich 1972, North Korea has won a total of 46 medals, including 16 gold, five of which have been in weightlifting. 

North Korea made its debut in the Winter Olympics at Innsbruck 1964 but its appearances have been much more sporadic, missing a number of Games.