Pyongyang, August 4 (KCNA) -- Russian Ambassador to the DPRK Valery E. Sukhinin hosted a reception at the embassy Thursday to mark the 10th anniversary of General Secretary Kim Jong Il's visit to Russia and the adoption of the DPRK-Russia Moscow Declaration.

Present there on invitation were Vice-President of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly Yang Hyong Sop, Vice Department Director of the C.C., the Workers' Party of Korea Ri Chang Gun, Vice-Minister of the People's Armed Forces Pak Jae Gyong, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Kung Sok Ung and officials concerned.

Members of the Russian embassy were on hand.

The ambassador said in his speech that the Russia-DPRK Moscow Declaration signed by the leaders of the two countries serves the cornerstone for boosting the bilateral relations.

Russia and the DPRK are neighboring countries and the relations of the two peoples have a long history, he said, referring to the cooperation between the two countries.

He was pleased with the close political relations and contacts between the two countries and progress in trade and economic relations, he noted.

He expressed belief that the relations of friendship and mutual benefits between the Russian Federation and the DPRK would grow stronger in the future, too as intended by the leaders of the two countries.

Yang Hyong Sop said that Kim Jong Il's historic visit to Russia was an epochal event as it marked a new occasion in boosting the traditional DPRK-Russia friendship.

He noted that visit, contact and exchange between the two countries have become brisk in politics, economy, culture and other fields.

We are rejoiced over the achievements made by Russia in the work to ensure social stability and economic progress and increase the national defence capability, he said, wishing prosperity and wellbeing to the Russian people.

Russian Consul General in Chongjin Vyacheslav Tsupikov, too, gave a reception on the same day.