On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Chairman Kim Jong Il’s historic visit to Russia’s Far Eastern region, Mozgovoy, first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, issued a statement on August 17. President Kim Il Sung, founder of the DPRK, and Chairman Kim Jong Il strengthened the friendly bonds between Russia and the DPRK in the whole periods of their lives, the statement said. Noting that building a powerful country is the goal of President Putin and General Secretary Kim Jong Un, it stressed that the General Secretary visited Russia in April 2019 as a demonstration of his will to carry forward the tradition of Russo-DPRK friendship provided by the preceding leaders. To expand and develop the friendly and cooperative ties between Russia and the DPRK is the common aspiration of the peoples of the two countries, it noted, and wished the Korean people greater successes in building a powerful socialist country. KCNA-THE PYONGYANG TIMES | 