Present there on invitation were Alexandr Torshyn, first vice-chairman of the Federation Council, Grigori Logvinov, roving ambassador of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other officials concerned of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Federation Council, State Duma, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Economy and Development, Ministry of Development of Far East, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Education and Science, Russian Railways Company, Institute of the Far East of the Russian Academy of Science and Russian Association for Friendship and Cultural Cooperation with the DPRK.

DPRK Ambassador to Russia Kim Hyong Jun and his embassy officials were present.

The participants laid bunches of flowers before the full-length figure portrait of President Kim Il Sung standing together with leader Kim Jong Il and paid tribute to them.

Speeches were made at the reception.

The first vice-chairman of the Federation Council of Russia said that the DPRK is the closest neighboring country of Russia with long and durable friendly and neighborly bonds. He went on:

Under the complicated international situation, the two countries have firmly advanced along the line chosen by themselves 66 years ago. This proves that the Russia-DPRK relations have remained invariable despite any political upheaval and have full potentialities to make more fruitful development.

Russia will make positive efforts to heighten the effectiveness of mutual cooperation and produce practical results in the future, too.

He sincerely hoped that the people of the DPRK would achieve greater success and bring about peace and prosperity under the leadership of Kim Jong Un, first chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK.