Pyongyang, March 26 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, received a reply message from Thongloun Sisoulith, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, on March 24.

The reply message said:

The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un,

I, on behalf of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and on my own behalf, express heartfelt thanks to you for sending a congratulatory message to us together with a beautiful flower basket on the 71st founding anniversary of the LPRP.

I am firmly convinced that under the correct and bold leadership of the Workers' Party of Korea headed by Comrade Kim Jong Un, successor to the great cause, the Korean party and government will achieve greater new successes in the national defence and the cause of building a powerful socialist country by successfully implementing the decisions of the Ninth WPK Congress and thus bring happiness to the Korean people.

I wish you good health and happiness and success in your noble work.

I wish that the long-standing friendly and cooperative relations between the two parties and two countries of Laos and the DPRK would grow stronger to bring substantial benefits to the peoples of the two countries.

I express comradely respect. -0-