North Korea’s top officials, including Choe Ryong-hae, chairman of the Supreme People’s Assembly’s standing committee, Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui and Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, attended the reception Tuesday, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, signed between North Korean leader Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Pyongyang in June, commits both nations to provide immediate military assistance to each other in the event of war. The treaty went into effect last Wednesday.
During a speech at the reception, Choe called the treaty “a brilliant fruition of the outstanding foresight, political will and decision of the heads” of the two nations, the KCNA said.
She also declared North Korea’s commitment to “boost support and solidarity with Russia in every field” and “achieve the lasting development” of the friendly relations between North Korea and Russia.
“The heroic Russian army and people would achieve victory in their just cause of defending the sovereign rights and security of the country and building an independent multipolar world by closely uniting around the respected President Putin,” Choe said.
Russian Ambassador to North Korea Alexandr Matsegora, who hosted the reception, said in his speech that Kim and Putin’s meetings in Vladivostok and Pyongyang “deepened their friendly relations and mutual trust” and “enriched the genuine fraternal character and militant friendship” between their nations.
Yonhap
