Present there were media persons, officials concerned and staff members of the Russian embassy here.

Russian Ambassador Valery Sukhinin addressed the press conference.

He referred to the fact that over the past six decades the two countries have strengthened and developed the friendly relations, supporting and cooperating with each other in the international arena.

He stressed that President Kim Il Sung paid deep attention to the development of the bilateral relations as evidenced by the fact that in 1949 he gave his first official visit to the Soviet Union and concluded an agreement on economic and cultural cooperation.

He said that Russia is pleased with the successes made by the Korean people in the efforts to build a great prosperous powerful socialist nation and achieve the country's reunification under the wise guidance of Kim Jong Il.

He pointed to the fact that a ground-breaking ceremony for the reconstruction of the Rajin-Khasan Railways and Rajin Port was successfully held recently and a prospect of new cooperation was opening in the economic field between the two countries.

He expressed belief that the relations between Russia and the DPRK with a 60-year-long history would steadily develop in the future, too.

Then, he answered questions put by reporters.

Prior to the press conference, its participants looked round photos dealing with the history of the relations between the two countries.