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On October 6, 2014, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations, received the recently appointed Ambassador of the People’s Democratic Republic of Korea, Mr. Kim Hyong Jun.

The PDRK ambassador noted that the Russian Orthodox Church cherishes the old history and rich culture of the Russian people and occupies a prominent place in Russian society today. He said that “under the guidance of the leaders of the two countries, the relations between Russia and North Korea in the religious sphere are persistently developing. Evidence to it is the Orthodox church of the Life-Giving Trinity built in Pyongyang and consecrated in 2006 by Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad (now His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia) as a symbol of Russian-Korean friendship”.

Metropolitan Hilarion reminded his guest that the Russian Orthodox Church brought the seeds of the Orthodox preaching of good news to the Korean peninsula over one hundred years ago. “It is gratifying that an Orthodox church has been built in the capital of North Korea and regular divine services are celebrated in it and delegations of the Metropolis of Vladivostok come to Pyongyang to celebrate together with the clergy of the Pyongyang church”.

They also discussed problems of the division of the Korean people and the contribution made by religious communities to the strengthening of peace in the Korean peninsula.

DECR Communication Service