Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith Receives Warm Welcome in North Korea

On Tuesday, a ceremony for welcoming Thongloun Sisoulith, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and president of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, who pays a congratulatory visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on the occasion of the 80th founding anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea.

Present at the ceremony were Jo Yong Won, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau and secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, Ri Hi Yong, member of the Political Bureau and secretary of the WPK Central Committee, Choe Son Hui, minister of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK, No Kwang Chol, minister of National Defence of the DPRK, and other leading officials of the Party, government and armed forces organs, citizens and youth and students in Pyongyang.

The national flags of the DPRK and the LPDR were seen and the guard of honor of the Korean People's Army was lined up at the venue for the ceremony.

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, came to the venue for the ceremony.

The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un warmly greeted Comrade Thongloun Sisoulith and had a significant photo taken with him against the background of the national flags of the two countries.

Kim Jong Un introduced to Thongloun Sisoulith the leading officials of the Party, government and armed forces organs who came to receive him.

After exchanging greetings with Vilay Lakhamphong, member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the LPRP who is concurrently vice prime minister and minister of Public Security, Thongsavanh Phomvihane, foreign minister of the LPDR, and other entourage members of the Lao side, he took the reviewing stand with Thongloun Sisoulith.

A 21-gun salute was fired amid the playing of the national anthems of the LPDR and the DPRK.

Guided by Kim Jong Un, Thongloun Sisoulith reviewed the guard of honor of the KPA.

There took place a march-past of the guard of honour of the KPA.

When the ceremony was over, the venue was filled with stormy cheers of "Welcome" and "Friendship", reflecting the Korean people's feelings of friendship with the Lao people.

Warmly welcoming Thongloun Sisoulith who paid a congratulatory visit to the DPRK on the occasion of the 80th founding anniversary of the WPK, Kim Jong Un expressed his pleasure of meeting him.

Referring to his impressions of visiting Pyongyang again after the lapse of 14 years, Thongloun Sisoulith expressed heartfelt thanks to the WPK and the government and people of the DPRK for their warm hospitality