Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, president of the Russian Federation, visited the DPRK for the first time as state leader of Russia at the invitation of Chairman Kim Jong Il in July Juche 89 (2000). The Pyongyang summit meeting of the leaders of the two countries gave a birth to the historic DPRK-Russia joint declaration.

Rodong Sinmun says that the adoption of the joint declaration was an epoch-making event as it put the bilateral friendly relations with a long tradition on a new level.

It goes on:

Since the adoption of the DPRK-Russia joint declaration the DPRK-Russia friendly relations have steadily developed.

Through Kim Jong Il's several visits to Russia, the leaders of the two countries confirmed the historic significance of the joint declaration and on this basis, agreed on concrete orientation and measures for further developing the bilateral cooperation for peace and security in Northeast Asia and the rest of the world and in various fields including politics, economy, science and technology and culture.

Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un had a historic first meeting with President Putin in Vladivostok City of the Russian Federation in April this year to forge good personal relations with him and further strengthen the ties of strategic and traditional DPRK-Russia friendship.

The meeting of the top leaders of the two countries served as a meaningful and important occasion as it made a new history of the DPRK-Russia friendship as required by the changing international situation and the times.

Minju Joson stresses that it is the unshakable stand and will of the Workers' Party of Korea and the government of the DPRK to steadily develop the strategic and traditional relations of the DPRK-Russia friendship on a new level in conformity with the aspiration and interests of the peoples of the two countries.