An awarding ceremony took place at the Mansudae Assembly Hall Tuesday.

Order of DPRK Friendship 1st Class was awarded to Madav Kumar Nepal, chairman of the Nepal Committee for the Promotion of Korea's Reunification, Fumihiro Himori, chairman of the Japan Committee for the Independent and Peaceful Reunification of Korea, Martin Lotscher, chairman of the Switzerland-Korea Committee, C. P. Mainali, chairman of the Nepalese National Memorial Committee for President Kim Il Sung and Leader Kim Jong Il, Raymond Ferguson, national secretary of the Australia-DPRK Association for Friendship and Culture, Shingo Kanemaru, adviser of the Tokyo-Pyongyang Rainbow Bridge, and its representative Seizaburo Ekuchi in recognition of their active efforts for supporting the just cause of the Korean people and the development of friendship with the DPRK in deep reverence for the peerlessly great men of Mt Paektu.

Order of DPRK Order 2nd Class were awarded to 21 foreigners including Helmi El Hadidi, chairman of the Afro-Asian People's Solidarity Organization, Damian Ogbonna, chairman of the African Regional Committee for Friendship and Solidarity with the Korean People, Yehia Zakaria Khairullah, chairman of the Egypt-Korea Friendship Association, Neil Fitzgerald, national chairman of the Australia-DPRK Association for Friendship and Culture, Jesus Antonio Carlos Hernandez, general secretary of the C.C., the People's Socialist Party of Mexico, MD. Harun-Ar-Rashid, chairman of the Bangladesh-Korea Friendship and Solidarity Committee, Dermot Hudson, chairman of the Korean Friendship Association UK, Pekka Kotkasaari, chairman of the Finland-Korea Society, and friendship medal went to 16 foreigners.

Present at the ceremony were Hong Son Ok, secretary general of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, vice-chairmen of the Korean Preparatory Committee of the Gathering 2017-Praise to the Great Persons of Mt Paektu, and figures from different countries, regions and international democratic organizations participating in the 5th International Festival in Praise of the Great Persons of Mt Paektu.