Thousands of athletes from 45 Olympic Council of Asia members are gathering in South Korea's western port city of Incheon for the Asian Games, a key test for many of them ahead of the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Competition in the football tournament was underway Monday, with North Korea's men defeating China 3-0 to the delight of some locals and a small contingent of North Korean fans. That show of inter-Korean unity came despite tensions between the countries.

The 2014 Games will be inaugurated with an opening ceremony Friday featuring Gangnam Style'' singer PSY alongside other Asian entertainers. With nearly 900 athletes, China is fielding the largest team at Incheon and is expected to take home the most medals. South Korea and Japan are also set to feature prominently on the podium.