Pyongyang, August 24 (KCNA) -- Dmitri Anatoliyevich Medvedev, president of the Russian Federation, hosted a grand banquet at the Presidential Guest House of the Russian Federation in Ulan-Ude City this evening in welcome of Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK, visiting Russia.

Kim Jong Il was present at the banquet on invitation.

Also present there on invitation were Kim Yong Chun, member of the Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee and minister of the People's Armed Forces, Kang Sok Ju, member of the Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee and vice-premier of the Cabinet, Jang Song Thaek, alternate member of the Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee and vice-chairman of the NDC, Kim Yang Gon, Pak To Chun and Thae Jong Su, alternate members of the Political Bureau and secretaries of the WPK Central Committee, Ju Kyu Chang, alternate member of the Political Bureau and department director of the WPK Central Committee, Pak Pong Ju, first vice department director of the WPK Central Committee, O Su Yong, chief secretary of the North Hamgyong Provincial Committee of the WPK, Kim Kye Gwan, first vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, Kim Yong Jae, DPRK ambassador to Russia, Sim Kuk Ryong, consul general of the DPRK Consulate General in Nakhodka of Russia, and other suite members.

Present there together with Medvedev were Alexandr Avramov, assistant to the president for regional policy, Sergei Prikhodiko, assistant to the president for external policy, Viktor Ishayev, presidential envoy to the Far East Region of the Russian Federation, Viktor Tolokonski, presidential envoy to the Siberian Region of the Russian Federation, Anatoly Serzhukov, minister of Defense, Igor Levitin, minister of Transport, Viktor Basargin, minister of Regional Development who is chairman of the Russian side to the Governmental Committee between Russia-DPRK for the Cooperation of Trade and Economy, Science and Technology, Valery Sukhinin, Russian ambassador to the DPRK, Aleksei Borodavkin, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, Byacheslav Nagovitsin, president of the Republic of Buryatia, Matbei Gershevich, chairman of the People's Khural, Gennadi Aidayev, mayor of Ulan-Ude, Anatoly Sidorov, first vice commander of the Eastern Military District of the Armed Forces of the Russian Fe

deration, Vladimir Tsilko, commander of the 36th Combined Forces of the Eastern Military District, and other central and local leading officials and commanding officers of the armed forces.

Dmitri Anatoliyevich Medvedev made a speech at the banquet.

Kim Jong Il spoke next.

The banquet proceeded in an amicable atmosphere overflowing with friendship.