The president said the friendly relations between the two countries are the historic relations forged by former President of Mali Modibo Keita and President Kim Il Sung.

Noting that the Korean government and people rendered material and moral assistance to the efforts of the Malian government and people for independent development and construction of a new society, the president went on:

The DPRK has invariably supported and helped Mali.

The bilateral friendly relations forged by HE President Kim Il Sung were further developed by HE Kim Jong Il and are being carried forward by respected HE Kim Jong Un.

Each country has the right to defend its sovereignty and the international community should respect independent rights of individual countries.

Watching Pyongyang spruce up on TV, I could feel the DPRK achieve great changes in the economic construction and the efforts to improve the people's living standard