Pyongyang, May 1 (KCNA) -- The construction of the motor bridge linking the DPRK and Russia borders began while practical measures have been positively taken to strengthen bilateral exchange and cooperation under the treaty on comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries of the DPRK and Russia.

The construction of the motor bridge serves as a significant occasion in adding fresh dynamics to the development of the friendly relations between the two countries as it provides a substantial guarantee for laying down and reinforcing the important infrastructure for economic cooperation and for vitalizing the bilateral cooperation including travel of persons, tourism and circulation of commodities in a many-sided way.

A ground-breaking ceremony took place simultaneously in Rason Municipality, a border city of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and Khasan, a border city of the Russian Federation, on April 30 amid deep interests and expectation of the governments and peoples of the two countries of the DPRK and Russia.

The national flags of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation were fluttering at the flagstaffs in the DPRK-Russia Friendship House, the venue of the DPRK side.

Pak Thae Song, premier of the Cabinet of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and Mikhail Mishustin, prime minister of the Russian Federation, attended the ceremony in Pyongyang and Moscow via video-conferencing.

Present at the ceremony were Jong Myong Su, vice-premier of the Cabinet of the DPRK, Yun Jong Ho, minister of External Economic Relations and chairman of the DPRK side of the DPRK-Russia Inter-governmental Committee for Cooperation in Trade, Economy, Science and Technology, Kim Kyong Jun, minister of Land and Environment Protection, Sin Chang Il, chairman of the Rason Municipal People's Committee, Kim Jong Gyu, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, officials concerned, builders and working people in Rason Municipality.

Also on hand were Alexandr Matsegora, Russian ambassador to the DPRK, Oleg Kosheev, consul general of the Russian Federation in Chongjin, and members of the embassy and consulate.

The national anthems of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation were played.

Mikhail Mishustin, prime minister of the Russian Federation, made a congratulatory speech.

He said that the construction of the motor bridge linking Russia and DPRK borders serves as a significant occasion showing the common will to strengthen the friendly and good-neighborly relations between the two countries and to develop cooperation between the regions.

Comrade Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, president of the Russian Federation, and Comrade Kim Jong Un , president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, concluded a treaty on comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, thus developing the Russia-DPRK relations onto a new high stage and providing conditions to start the joint work that is mutually beneficial, he stressed.

He affirmed that the motor bridge linking Russia and DPRK borders which contributes to the expansion of bilateral trade and economic cooperation would be a symbol of peace and friendship between the Russian Federation and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Pak Thae Song, premier of the Cabinet of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, made a congratulatory speech.

He extended warm congratulations on behalf of the DPRK government to the builders and friends of the two countries who made sincere efforts to successfully ensure the start of the construction of the bridge to be handed down forever as a historic monument to the DPRK-Russia friendship, true to the strategic plan of Comrade Kim Jong Un and Comrade Vladimir Putin.

He said that after the historic DPRK-Russia Pyongyang summit, bilateral exchange and cooperation have been further vigorously expanded and developed in all fields and the joint plans conducive to the promotion of the well-being of the peoples of the two countries have been carried on.

He stressed that the construction of the motor bridge would contribute to laying an eternal foundation for the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries that put on a track of new comprehensive development.

Construction equipment went into the work at the bridge construction sites of both sides according to the instructions given by the heads of the governments of the two countries.

In the concluding speeches, the heads of the governments of the two countries expressed belief that the motor bridge linking the borders would be successfully built as a monumental edifice to be brilliantly recorded in another golden letters in the history of the DPRK-Russia relations.

Then a commemorative monument to the ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of the DPRK-Russia border motor bridge was unveiled.

Inscribed in the monument were the national emblems of the two countries and the letters "Commemoration of Starting the Construction of DPRK-Russia Border Motor Bridge April 30, 2025" in Korean and Russian.

That day the DPRK leading officials who took part in the ground-breaking event had a talk with leading officials of the Russian government who visited the DPRK-Russia Friendship House.

Present there were Jong Myong Su, vice-premier of the Cabinet of the DPRK, Yun Jong Ho, minister of External Economic Relations and chairman of the DPRK side to the DPRK-Russia Inter-governmental Committee for Cooperation in Trade, Economy, Science and Technology, Kim Kyong Jun, minister of Land and Environment Protection, Sin Chang Il, chairman of the Rason Municipal People's Committee, Kim Jong Gyu, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, Sin Hong Chol, DPRK ambassador to Russia, Jo Sok Chol, DPRK consul general in Vladivostok, and Yuri Trutnev, deputy prime minister of the Russian Federation and concurrently presidential envoy to the Far East Federal Region, Alexandr Kozlov, minister of Natural Resources and Ecology and chairman of the Russian side to the DPRK-Russia Inter-governmental Committee for Cooperation in Trade, Economy, Science and Technology, Roman Starovoyt, minister of Transport, Aleksei Chekunkov, minister of Development of the Far East and Arctic, Oleg Kozhemyako, governor of the Maritime Territory Administration, Alexandr Matsegora, Russian ambassador to the DPRK, and Oleg Kosheev, consul general of the Russian Federation in Chongjin.

Discussed at the talk in detail were the practical issues for completing within the fixed date the construction of the DPRK-Russia border motor bridge which is of substantial and important significance in dynamically promoting the many-sided exchange and economic ties and development between the DPRK and Russia. -0-

www.kcna.kp (2025.05.01.)