Ambassador's Welcome Word

For the tenth time, as the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the DPRK, I have the honor of warmly greeting and congratulating all of you — dear friends and visitors to the official website of our diplomatic mission — on the New Year of 2025.

Looking back at the past year, I would like to emphasize that it has been challenging yet incredibly eventful and highly productive for us. Today, I can state with great satisfaction that after four years of coronavirus isolation, which led to a significant reduction of our personnel, the Russian diplomatic mission in the DPRK has fully returned to its normal operations. The resumption of the school and kindergarten not only enriched our lives but also allowed families of diplomats and staff to reunite, filling the embassy grounds with the joyful sounds of children’s voices.

As a result of the past year, the relations between Russia and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea have elevated to the highest level of comprehensive strategic partnership seen in recent decades. The new fundamental Treaty signed during the state visit to Pyongyang by the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin now serves as the legal foundation for these relations. I believe we can regard last year’s Russia-DPRK summit as historically significant event, as it not only provided a strong impetus for bilateral cooperation in all areas but also served as a powerful factor in accelerating the formation of a new, equitable international order based on universal equality among all countries and peoples, free from American-centric unipolarity.

The past year was exceptionally rich in important events within our relations. Pyongyang welcomed high-level visitors including Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov, Secretary of the Security Council Sergei Shoigu, Minister of Defense Andrei Belousov, Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Naryshkin, various ministers in charge of sports, natural resources and ecology, healthcare, transportation, as well as the Governor of Primorsky Krai Oleg Kozhemyako, and several other high-level delegations. In turn, Russia warmly welcomed the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK Choe Son Hui, the Vice Premier and Chair of the Committee for Agriculture, and ministers responsible for foreign economic affairs, healthcare, education, sports, and emergencies.

The XIth Meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, and Scientific-Technical Cooperation, along with subsequent sessions of subcommissions and working groups was conducted with great success. 

Our countries have increased mutual support on foreign policy tracks. Pyongyang has continued to unequivocally support the Special Military Operation of the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine, consistently presenting its support for us at all international platforms. In turn, we express our solidarity with the DPRK's leadership in its efforts to safeguard its security and sovereignty amid ongoing provocations from the United States and its satellites.

In the coming year, we will continue to work wholeheartedly for the development of bilateral relations between our countries, implementing the principles of mutual support and equal, mutually beneficial cooperation outlined in the new Treaty in all areas, including politics, economy, culture, and military affairs. We are set not only to recall the best practices from the Soviet-Korean collaboration but also to advance investment, financial, trade, scientific and technical, educational, social, youth, sports, and other contacts well beyond in accordance with the demands of the new era.

Throughout the years, we have made every effort to truthfully inform you about the development of friendship and cooperation between the two neighboring countries—Russia and the DPRK—sharing the activities of the Russian diplomatic mission and the lives of our staff. We promise that in the coming year, there will be a plenty of interesting news to share.

A. MATSEGORA