July 19 is a significant day as it marks an important milestone in developing in depth the friendly and cooperative relations between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and Russian Federation as required by the new century.

Twenty-one years ago from now, in July 2000, a historic meeting was held in Pyongyang between the great leader Comrade Kim Jong Il and Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, President of the Russian Federation and DPRK-Russia Joint Declaration, a solid cornerstone of guaranteeing the development of friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries of DPRK and Russia, was adopted.

The DPRK-Russia Joint Declaration constitutes a motive force for continued development of DPRK-Russia relations of friendship and cooperation even in the vicissitudes of international circumstances. It is also a historic document of great significance for sound development of international relations and for peace and security of the world.

Based on this document, the DPRK and Russia have developed bilateral cooperation and exchanges, multi-faceted and mutually beneficial, in an active manner and have strengthened collaboration and strategic communication in the international arena to guarantee peaceful development and security of the region for the past 21 years.

At the turn of the new century, the great leader Comrade Kim Jong Il visited the Russian Federation three times and opened up a sure prospect for consolidating and developing the DPRK-Russia relations of friendship and cooperation in conformity with the desires and fundamental interests of the two peoples.

The immortal exploits the great leader Comrade Kim Jong Il accomplished for strengthening and developing the friendship between the DPRK and Russia are now being brilliantly inherited and developed by respected Comrade Kim Jong Un .

The historic meeting between Comrade Kim Jong Un , President of the State Affairs of the DPRK, and Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, President of the Russian Federation, that took place in Vladivostok in April 2019, was a momentous occasion in reaffirming the unwavering current of the history of the strategic and traditional DPRK-Russia relations and further strengthening the ties of friendship between the two countries.

It is the invariable stand of the DPRK to exert all efforts to incessantly expand and develop the DRPK-Russia relations of friendship and cooperation in accordance with the spirit of the DPRK-Russia Joint Declaration and the demands of the new era and to ensure regional peace and security. The future of the DPRK-Russia relations, which steadily advances towards a new higher stage of development with roots in its valuable tradition, is bright and promising.