(Photo: AFP-Yonhap)

The International Olympic Committee has decided to redistribute slots for the Tokyo Olympics that were being held for North Korea.

The reclusive state's sports ministry said in April that North Korean athletes would not participate in the event due to coronavirus concerns.

James Macleod, the IOC's director of Olympic solidarity, said, "The problem was they did not inform us officially. We had a lot of ongoing discussions on reasons and to offer them as many assurances as possible."

He explained that they needed to reallocate North Korea's four spots for "for fairness to the other athletes."

It will be the first time for North Korea to skip the Summer Games since they boycotted the Seoul event in 1988.