DPRK awards friendship medal to Chinese ambassador

PYONGYANG, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) awarded a first class friendship medal to China's outgoing ambassador Liu Xiaoming Wednesday for his contributions to DPRK-China relations.

Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, conferred the medal on Liu during an award ceremony held at the Mansudae Assembly.

The two countries held a series of events in 2009 to mark the DPRK-China friendship year, which showed the world the firmness of DPRK-China relations, Kim said, pledging to further cement and develop the traditional bilateral ties.