Pyongyang, November 30 (KCNA) -- The DPRK Ministry of National Defence gave a reception at the April 25 House of Culture on Friday evening in welcome of the visit to the DPRK by the military delegation of the Russian Federation.

Present there on invitation were members of the military delegation of the Russian Federation led by Minister of Defence Andrei Beloussov, Alexandr Matsegora, Russian ambassador to the DPRK, and staff members of his embassy.

Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, was present at the reception.

Present there were No Kwang Chol, minister of National Defence of the DPRK, and Pak Jong Chon and Jo Chun Ryong, secretaries of the WPK Central Committee, and senior major officials of the WPK Central Committee, commanding officers of the Ministry of National Defence, commanders of the KPA services and officials concerned.

When the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un appeared at the reception hall together with Beloussov amid the playing of welcome music, the participants warmly applauded them.

No Kwang Chol made a speech at the reception.

He paid warm militant tribute to all the officers and men of the heroic Russian army on behalf of all the service personnel of the armed forces of the DPRK.

Referring to the fact that the DPRK-Russia friendship is developing into relations of invincible alliance and comrade-in-arms relations thanks to the special comradely relations between the heads of state of the two countries, he expressed the steadfast stand and will of the WPK and the DPRK government and armed forces which fully and most powerfully support and encourage the just sacred war of the Russian army and people to defend the sovereign rights, security and interests of the country.

He said that Beloussov's Pyongyang visit would serve as an important military and political occasion for powerfully demonstrating the militant friendship and unity between the two armies getting stronger day by day in the same trench of the common front for independence against imperialism.

Then Andrei Beloussov made a reply speech.

Saying that the two armies have carried on long-standing and good cooperative relations, he noted that they are further consolidating the invincible comradely ties in the struggle to cope with all threats of the present era challenging independence and justice.

The comprehensive strategic partnership between the Russian Federation and the DPRK provided a crucial driving force for firmly defending the sovereignty of the two countries from all sorts of aggression and arbitrary practices by imperialism and developing the precious Russia-DPRK friendly relations in a diversified and long-term way, he said.

Extending heartfelt thanks to the militant solidarity of the Party and government of the DPRK with the sacred war waged by the Russian army and people against the imperialist strategy for hegemony, he expressed the will to make more positive contributions to global peace, regional stability and prosperity of the two countries.

The participants toasted the good health of Comrade Kim Jong Un and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and the further expansion and strengthening of the cooperative relations between the armed forces of the two countries.

The reception proceeded in an amicable atmosphere full of comradeship. -0-