Respected Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un clarified in his New Year Address that the Party and government of the DPRK would remain committed to the ideals of their foreign policy of independence, peace and friendship, expand and develop the relations of good-neighbourliness, friendship and cooperation with those countries championing independence, and make concerted efforts with them to ensure genuine international justice.

The ideals of the DPRK's foreign policy clarified by him serve as important guidelines giving clear answers to the principled matters of boosting its external relations on its own initiative and ensuring the dignity and interests of the nation at the highest level in line with its status of independent power and a nuclear power.

The DPRK's strategic position has reached the highest level since its founding.

An epochal turn was brought about in bolstering up the defence capability of the DPRK and it achieved the status of a nuclear power, a military giant in the East which no enemy, however formidable, can dare to provoke. This provided a guarantee for defending the destiny of the country and nation and playing a leading role in building a just and peaceful, new world.

Independence is the main principle being maintained by the government of the DPRK in its external relations.

There are big and small countries in the world. But there can be no superior and inferior countries or those dictating others and those obliged to get instructions. Every country and nation is equal and should exercise same sovereignty.

The DPRK, by strictly adhering to the principle of independence in its external relations, could invariably and dynamically advance along the road chosen by it, despite the raging wind raised by the reactionary forces of history against socialism worldwide and the hegemonic powers' evermore undisguised high-handed and arbitrary practices.

The DPRK is working hard to defend peace and stability of mankind.

The desire of humankind for peace has not yet come true in the new century owing to the forces seeking aggression and war against peace.

The imperialists including the U.S. are still clinging to the war policy while dreaming of dominating the world with strength and harassing peace wherever they go.

Today when those imperialists are getting evermore undisguised in their war moves, the DPRK's nuclear deterrence for self-defence serves as a powerful weapon for defending peace.

If the ideal and desire of humankind to live independently and peacefully are to come true, every country should unite close under the banner of friendship.

Now that the imperialists are further tightening the nexus for aggression to keep their supremacy, the anti-imperialist independent countries should counter the imperialist and reactionary forces' offensive with their strategy of unity.

The DPRK government has made positive efforts to establish and develop the relations of friendship with the countries which are friendly towards it, guided by the ideal of independence, peace and friendship.

It is the consistent foreign policy stand of the DPRK to improve and normalize the relations with those countries which respect its sovereignty and are friendly toward it though they had been hostile to it in the past.

The DPRK will invariably adhere to the tenet of its foreign policy-- independence, peace and friendship-- and make positive contributions to the independent development of the world in the future, too.