Present there on invitation were Ambassador Le Van Cu and staff members of the Vietnamese embassy here.

Jon Yong Jin, vice-chairman of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries who is chairman of the DPRK-Vietnam Friendship Association, members of the association and working people in the city of Pyongyang were on hand.

Jon noted in his speech at the meeting that over the past 45 years the associations have strengthened visits and cooperation, inspiringly encouraging the peoples of the DPRK and Vietnam in their joint struggle.

He stressed that the friendly relations between the two countries provided by President Kim Il Sung together with President Ho Chi Minh have favorably developed in different fields under the deep care of General Secretary Kim Jong Il and General Secretary Nong Duc Manh.

He expressed belief that the associations would make contribution to strengthening the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries in the future, too.

Le Van Cu said that the historic meeting between Nong Duc Manh and Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang in 2007 marked an important event in developing the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries on a higher stage.

He expressed thanks on behalf of the Vietnamese party, government and people to the Korean party, government and people for the support and encouragement they rendered to the Vietnamese people's anti-U.S. struggle for national salvation and their socialist construction in the past.

The Vietnamese party, government and people set store by the friendly and cooperative relations with the Korean party, government and people and will strive to develop them, the ambassador declared.

After the meeting a friendly gathering took place at the DPRK-Vietnam Friendship Kyongsang Kindergarten.