Present there were Kung Sok Ung, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, Kim Yong Jae, DPRK ambassador to Russia, and other suite members, Ilyas Umakhanov, vice-chairman of the Russian Federation Council, Igor Morgulov, vice foreign minister of Russia, Mikhail Margelov, chairman of the International Affairs Committee of the Russian Federation Council, and other officials concerned.

Matvienko said that it is the firm stand of Russia to strengthen the traditional Russia-DPRK friendly relations.

She hoped that the Korean people would achieve great success in the efforts for building an economic power and improving the people's living standard under the leadership of Marshal Kim Jong Un.

On Feb. 5, Kim Yong Nam met Vladimir Mikulushevski, governor of the Maritime Territory Administration of the Russian Federation, passing through Vladivostok.

The governor said he came to keenly realize the deep-rooted friendship and cooperation between the two countries after looking round the Russia-DPRK friendship house visited by President Kim Il Sung and General Secretary Kim Jong Il when he went to Khasan some days ago.

He vowed to strive to develop economic cooperation and cultural exchange between Russia and the DPRK in the future.