Kim Jong-un greets Sergei Lavro. (Photo: Tass)

Pyongyang (People's Daily) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met Kim Jong-un, leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), during a visit to Pyongyang on Thursday, the Korean Central News Agency said.

Kim warmly welcomed the visit of Lavrov and his party to the DPRK and had a friendly conversation with them.

He said that the DPRK's will for denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula still remains unchanged and consistent.

He wished that US-North Korean ties and denuclearization of the peninsula "will be solved on a stage-by-stage basis" and "he hoped that the solution of the issues will progress through effective and constructive dialogue and negotiations." 

During his visit, Lavrov respectfully conveyed a personal letter from Russian President Putin to Kim Jong-un.

Lavrov expressed Moscow's support for the declaration between North and South Korea last month, in which they agreed to work for the denuclearization of the peninsula.

(Compiled by Bai Yuanqi)