March 17 marked the 70th anniversary of the conclusion of the DPRK-Russia Agreement on Economic and Cultural Cooperation. On this occasion the peoples of the DPRK and Russia looked back with deep emotions on the history of their friendship which has developed age after age and generation after generation on the basis of the spirit of respect for sovereignty, equality and cooperation.

President Kim Il Sung paid the first official visit to the Soviet Union in 1949 and concluded the agreement, the first of its kind in the history of the DPRK and Russia.

70 years have passed since then. It has so far been proved positively that the friendly and cooperative relations of long standing between the two countries fully conform to their mutual intention, desire and interest and contribute greatly to ensuring the peace and security of the region and the rest of the world.

In the new century the bilateral relations of amity and cooperation have been moved on to a sounder footing.

Chairman Kim Jong Il met Putin, President of Russia, in Pyongyang in July 2000. This was the first time the head of state of Russia visited the DPRK. He joined Putin in adopting the DPRK-Russia Joint Declaration. The declaration is a historic document of importance in actively promoting the development of the friendly and cooperative relations between the DPRK and Russia.

Kim Jong Il paid an official visit to Russia in August 2001 and met Putin again. He signed the DPRK-Russia Moscow Declaration. This provided another motive power for achieving the peace and security of northeast Asia and the rest of the whole world, the prosperity of the two countries and their equal cooperation of mutual benefit.

Kim Jong Il visited Russia in 2002 and 2011, too, and strengthened the bonds of friendship between the DPRK and Russia.

In these days multilevel personages visited and contacted each other briskly and extensively exchanged opinions of their bilateral relations and international issues, thus bringing the flowers of friendship into full bloom.

The friendly and cooperative relations between the DPRK and Russia are now continuing to develop to accord with their mutual interests and meet the demand of a new age.

Last May and September Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un met the foreign minister of the Russian Federation and the chairman of the RF Council on a visit to our country. He exchanged wide-ranging views as to invariably defending and continuously and constructively developing the strategic and traditional relations of friendship between the two countries established by their predecessors and cooperating with each other and taking concerted action in defending the durable peace and security of the region and the rest of the world perpetually.

The 70th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between the DPRK and Russia was celebrated successfully last year amid the great expectation of the peoples of the two countries. This year, too, the development of the bilateral relations is promoted further on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the conclusion of the DPRK-Russia AECC.

The Plan for the 2019-2020 Cultural Cooperation between the Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries of the DPRK and the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation was signed in February. The MOU on cooperation in tourism between the National Tourism Administration of the DPRK and the Bureau for Tourism of Russian Federation was signed this month. Some time ago the Photo Exhibition “History of Friendship” opened in Moscow. The 9th meeting of the DPRK-Russia Intergovernmental Committee for Cooperation in Trade, Economy, Science and Technology took place.

This results from the common aspiration and efforts of the DPRK and Russian peoples to carry forward the history and traditions of DPRK-Russia friendship.

Our Party and people are firmly resolved to develop the traditional friendship between the DPRK and Russia incessantly.

Our people rejoice at the successes scored by the Russian people and wish them success in their future work, too.

Ri Chol Hyok