Present there on invitation were Kim Ki Nam, secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, Kim Jong Suk, chairperson of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, and other officials concerned.

Staff members of the Russian embassy were on hand.

Valery E. Sukhinin made a speech at the reception.

He said that the DPRK has made successes in various fields under the wise leadership of Kim Jong Il.

Kim Jong Il, a prominent statesman, has been well known for paying deep concern to the development of the friendly, neighborly and cooperative relations between Russia and the DPRK, he added.

He noted that Russia would make efforts to develop the bilateral relations this year marking the 10th anniversary of Kim Jong Il's visit to Russia.

Kim Ki Nam spoke next.

He said that the Russian friends' significant celebration of Kim Jong Il's birthday together with the Korean people is an expression of their deep reverence for Kim Jong Il.

The speaker recalled that Kim Jong Il has turned the DPRK into an invincible power and made an immortal contribution to the cause of independence against imperialism with his outstanding idea and extraordinary revolutionary practices.

He wished the Russian people, who have achieved successes in the work for achieving social stability and economic progress and bolstering defence capability, prosperity and welfare in the future, too.