They included a meeting, photo exhibition and film show in Sweden and an opening ceremony of the Korean handicraft exhibition and film shows in Russia.

Displayed in their venues were photos on immortal exploits of President Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il and photos and handicrafts showing the true picture of Songun Korea.

Korean films shown included "Fireworks for a Thriving Nation" and "The Arch of Triumph".

The chairman of the Sweden-Korea Friendship Association said that the DPRK under the wise leadership of Kim Jong Il encourages the world progressives in their struggle as a powerful and stable socialist state and a fortress of independence and peace against imperialism.

We extend full support to the Korean people in the efforts to improve the people's living standard, defuse the tension in the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia and bring earlier the independent and peaceful reunification of the country, he said.

The director of the Bureau for Culture of the Ryazan Regional Administration of Russia said that the exhibits would help visitors know better about the reality of the DPRK and the indomitable will of the Korean people dynamically advancing toward the future, closely rallied around their leader.

A message of greetings to Kim Jong Il was adopted at the meeting in Sweden.