October 12 is when the diplomatic relations between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation was established.
73 years ago, President Kim Il Sung, the great leader of the Korean people, exchanged personal letters with Stalin, Prime Minister of the Soviet Union on the establishment of ambassadorial-level diplomatic relations between the two countries. This was the first diplomatic relations ever established between our country and other country after the founding of the DPRK.
This marked a significant event which demonstrated that the newly-born DPRK, as a full-fledged sovereign state, established relations with other countries on an independent and equal footing, and came to stand on the international stage as a motive force in the international relations.
After the establishment of diplomatic relations, the DPRK and Russia, amid great attention of the leaders of two countries, developed the extensive and in-depth relations of friendship and cooperation in all fields of politics, economy, culture etc. and continued with the good-neighborly relations even under the complex international circumstances and socio-political changes.
The DPRK-Russia relations have entered a turning phase in the new century.
In February 2000, the Treaty of Friendship, Good-Neighborliness and Cooperation between the DPRK and the Russian Federation was signed in Pyongyang, which reflected the common desire of the peoples of the two countries to invariably strengthen and develop the traditional relations of friendship.
In July 2000, Chairman Kim Jong Il met with H.E. President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin who visited our country for the first time as Head of the State of Russia, and adopted the DPRK-Russia Joint Declaration.
He also paid an official visit to the Russian Federation in August 2001, first year of the new century, and signed the DPRK-Russia Moscow Declaration which helped propel the achievement of peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region and the rest of the world as well as prosperity and mutually beneficial cooperation in the two countries. And he again paid visits to the Russian Federation twice afterwards, further consolidating the bond of friendship.
Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un, President of the State Affairs of the DRPK is always paying deep attention to the development of the DPRK-Russia relations, true to the intention of the preceding leaders, and is opening up a new development in the bilateral relations as required by the new era.
In April 2019, there was the first meeting between respected Comrade Kim Jong Un, President of the State Affairs of the DPRK and H.E. Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, President of the Russian Federation in Vladivostok, Russia.
An unwavering advance in the history of the DPRK-Russia relations was reaffirmed at the meeting, and the concrete directions and steps for actively developing the bilateral relations of friendship onto a new level by inheriting the precious tradition were discussed, and personal relations between the supreme leaders were formed.
Even in the face of adverse environment caused by the global pandemic and the vicissitudes of international situation, the DPRK and the Russian Federation are now maintaining regular contacts and communication, thus continuously strengthening strategic cooperation with regard to the issue of bilateral relations and other international issues.
The long-standing and traditional DPRK-Russia relations of good-neighborliness will invariably be strengthened and developed in accordance with the agreement made at the historic Vladivostok Summit Meeting.
