MOSCOW, September 5. /TASS/. Relations between North Korea and Russia were forged in battle, where Soviet and Russian soldiers fought side by side with soldiers of the Korean People's Army, Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov said at a reception marking the 77th anniversary of the founding of North Korea.
Belousov took part in a reception marking the upcoming 77th anniversary of the founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on September 9. The event took place at the country’s embassy in Moscow. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Belousov laid flowers at the portraits of the first two leaders of the DPRK, Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, as a sign of respect.
"From the bottom of my heart, on behalf of myself and the Russian Defense Ministry, I would like to congratulate you on this significant anniversary: the 77th anniversary of the founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. I would like to say that the relationship between our peoples is bound by more than friendship. These relations were forged in battle, where Soviet and Russian soldiers fought alongside soldiers of the Korean People's Army," Belousov said.