Seven years ago, on November 25, 2016, Comrade Fidel Castro Ruz, the renowned statesman and revolutionary comrade of Korean people, distinguished for his remarkable feats for Cuban revolution and for the accomplishment of the cause of independence against imperialism, passed away at the age of ninety to our greatest regret.

Embarking on the road of revolution in his early years, Comrade Fidel Castro Ruz overthrew the pro-U.S. Batista dictatorial regime through a bloody armed struggle and established the genuine people’s government in the Western Hemisphere. He also performed great feats in the victorious advancement of the socialist construction in Cuba. With the above exploits, he is held in high regard as a historic leader of the Cuban revolution.

He always cherished the memory of his visit to our country in March 1986 and his meeting with President  Kim Il Sung  and General  Kim Jong Il , and also made great contributions to the developing and further cementing of the friendship and unity between Korea and Cuba.

Upon hearing the news of sudden demise of Comrade Fidel Castro Ruz, respected Comrade Kim Jong Un sent a message of condolence to Comrade Raul Castro Ruz, the then First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Cuba on November 27, 2016.

The next day, on November 28, he sent a wreath on his own behalf to the Embassy of the Republic of Cuba in the DPRK, visited the embassy in person and made an entry in the condolence book to the following effect: “Though the outstanding leader passed away, his name and feats will always be remembered by all of us. We feel pain of the loss of the great Comrade, the great comrade-in-arms. Kim Jong Un ”

Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un promptly dispatched a delegation of the Workers’ Party of Korea and the DPRK to attend the national memorial service in Havana on November 29. He also saw to it that the leading officials of ministries, national institutions and working people’s organizations visit the Cuban embassy in the DPRK with wreaths and offer their condolences.

The epitome of internationalist obligation set by Comrade Kim Jong Un at that time, served as a valuable asset and a powerful driving force for the invariable development of Korea-Cuba relations - with socialism at the core - into those of sincere comradely friendship, true to the behest of the preceding leaders of the two countries.

Today, the friendship between Korea and Cuba is developing onto a new high level amid the deep attention of respected Comrade Kim Jong Un , Comrade Raul Castro Ruz and Comrade Miguel Mario Díaz-Canel Bermúdez.

Korean people will stand in the same trench of struggle for socialism and independence against imperialism with the Cuban people and will forever share life and death with them, and the invincible tradition of friendship and solidarity between the two countries will be carried forward and develop further through generations.

Pak Ryong Ho

Secretary General

Korea-Latin America Association