PYONGYANG, October 9. /TASS/. The North Korean leadership supports Russian President Vladimir Putin's policies aimed at defending Russia's national interests and sovereignty, President of the Presidium of North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly Choe Ryong-hae said on Wednesday at the meeting with the delegation of the Russian media in Pyongyang.

"We fully support Putin's policies on defending Russia's sovereignty," Choe said. "As well as the efforts aimed at enhancing the country’s economic and social power."

The President of the Presidium of North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly also expressed confidence that Russia would successfully counter external threats aimed at hampering its development. "We are confident that Russia will successfully overcome all external threats and will build a great power," Choe said.

The summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in the Far Eastern city of Vladivostok this April showed the world how strong bilateral relations are, he stressed. "The historic summit in Vladivostok showed the whole world the strength and inviolability of our friendship and cooperation," Choe noted. "During the summit we outlined key areas of cultivating our cooperation, and thanks to this the relations in all fields are actively developing now."

According to Choe, Putin enjoys great authority in North Korea. He also noted that a delegation of North Korea’s Supreme People's Assembly would soon pay a visit to Russia.

The delegation of Russian media outlets’ CEOs arrived on a working visit to Pyongyang on Monday for talks on cooperation with their counterparts from North Korea. It includes Head of the Federal Agency for the Press and Mass Media Mikhail Seslavinsky, TASS Director General Sergei Mikhailov, Channel One Director General Konstantin Ernst, TASS First Deputy Director General Mikhail Gusman, and TASS First Deputy Editor-in-Chief Marat Abulkhatin.

On Tuesday, TASS Director-General Sergei Mikhailov and Director-General of the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) Kim Chan Gwang signed a new agreement on cooperation between the leading news agencies.