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, received a reply message from Thongloun Sisoulith, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and president of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, on November 15.

The message said:

Dear Comrade Kim Jong Un,

Kim Jong Un, president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, received a reply message from Bashar Al-Assad, president of the Syrian Arab Republic, on November 19.

Bashar Al-Assad in the message expressed deep thanks to Kim Jong Un for sending congratulations on the occasion of the Day of the Corrective Movement and appreciated the stand of the DPRK expressing support and solidarity with the Syrian people in the struggle to defend the territorial sovereignty, unification and independence of their country.

I affirm that I will continue to strive, together with you, to strengthen the friendly and cooperative relations between Syria and the DPRK in the interests of the fraternal peoples of the two countries and more stubbornly fight against the present blockade and sanctions, he noted. 

The credentials of the Swedish ambassador to the DPRK, sent to Kim Jong Un, president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, by Carl XVI Gustaf, king of Sweden, have been accepted.

Upon authorization of the President of the State Affairs of the DPRK, Choe Ryong Hae, first vice-president of the State Affairs Commission and chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly, received the credentials from Lars Andreas Bengtsson, Swedish ambassador to the DPRK, at the Mansudae Assembly Hall in Pyongyang on November 21.

Choe Ryong Hae had a talk with the ambassador in a friendly atmosphere.

The 2024 autumn commodity exhibition at the Pyongyang Underground Shop closed.

Presented to the exhibition were light industrial products, foodstuff and agricultural products produced by 200-odd units. The exhibition drew the interest of many visitors.

During the exhibition, employees of the production units across the country shared experience for settling sci-tech problems arising in improving the quality of consumer goods and expanding their varieties on the basis of consumer demand.

The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un sent a birthday spread to Choe Mu Gyong, a woman centenarian living in neighbourhood unit No. 50 in Sudok-ri, Unsan County of South Phyongan Province, on her 100th birthday.

Officials of the Party and power organs in Unsan County and neighbours congratulated the woman centenarian.

Choe had devoted her pure conscience and sincere efforts to farming. She is now in good health, helping her children to work harder for the country. 

The Nampho Municipal Riding Club and a general service building provided with excellent facilities for leisure and exercise were inaugurated recently in Hanggu District, Nampho. 

As soon as they were opened, they are crowded with visitors.

Below the general service building nestled at the foot of a mountain is the riding club laid out on a vast area, and a cycling course is seen in the neighbouring forest.

Japan continues to pour nuclear-contaminated water into the Pacific despite the strong opposition and protest from the international community.

From October 17 to November 4, it diluted about 7 800 tons of nuclear waste water with sea water and discharged it into the sea about 1 km away through a submarine tunnel. It was the sixth discharge of nuclear-contaminated water this year and the tenth from August last year, and the total amount reached nearly 80 000 tons.

Experts have already warned that the dumping of radioactive-contaminated water in Japan might cause marine pollution by radioactive substances and, moreover, seriously harm food safety and human health.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on ratifying a renewed nuclear doctrine, the basis of the state policy for the field of nuclear deterrence.

The decree was announced on November 19.

Thus the categories of state and military alliances, targets of nuclear deterrent, have expanded and the doctrine has been supplemented with a list of military threats to be neutralized.

Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of the State Duma of Russia, warned against the aftereffect of US-made missile strike against the country on November 18.

Recently, US President Biden approved Ukraine’s attack on the Russian territory with US-made long-range missiles. In connection with this, he said such a measure will only cause damage, but will not change the situation on the battlefield.

If such a thing occurs, Russia will surely cope with it and will not exclude the use of a new weapon system, which has never been used so far, he noted.