The event follows on from a World Tour event held in North Korea last year, which marked the first event on the flagship ITTF series to be held in the Asian country in 36 years.

Top seed Pak Sin Hyok overcame Mongolia's Altanshagai Ganbat 4-1 and Ro Hyon-song of North Korea 4-0. 

Second seed Choe Il was similarly comfortable in breezing past Yu Heyi of China 4-0 before receiving a walkover over Sierra Leone's Prince Kai-Tongi.

But third-ranked Kang Wi-hun was made to work harder.

He was taken to six games before overcoming team-mate Ri Kwangmyong, 4-2, before being stretched to the full seven in a 4-3 win over China's Zhao Zhaoyan.

Russia's Sadi Ismailov, the top ranked international player in the draw, suffered the shock result after the day after losing 4-1 to China's Xu Yingbin in the fourth group.

There was a surprise loss for the host nation in the women's singles when Kim Hye-song lost 4-2 to Shi Xunyao of China.

Kim Sol-song, another leading North Korean hope, also lost to a Chinese player.

She was beaten in four straight sets by Mu Jingyu at the challenger-level event.

Qualifying action is due to conclude tomorrow, after which top seeds like North Korea's Ri Myong-sun will enter the fray.

The 2015 edition of the ITTF Pyongyang Open marked the return of World Tour table tennis to North Korea for the first time in 36 years.

The last time an international table tennis event was held in the nation prior to that was the 1979 ITTF World Championships, also held in Pyongyang.

Last week, Pyongyang was awarded the 2018 Junior World Weightlifting Championships.

Awarding the 2018 event to the East Asian country marks a major move but the IWF is among organisations who think sporting events could help to "open up" the reclusive state.

The country, a dictatorship which is rarely visited by foreigners, has also been tipped to host the 2017 Junior World Judo Championships.