Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), confers medal to Ruan Xingwang, in Pyongyang, capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), April 12, 2011. Yang Hyong Sop conferred medals Tuesday to Chinese businessman Zhang Jingrong who died while rescuing three drowning girls in the DPRK. Yang conferred the First Class Friendship Medal and the Second Class Friendship Medal to Zhang and his colleague, Ruan Xingwang, at Mansudae Assembly Hall.

PYONGYANG, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), conferred medals Tuesday to Chinese businessman Zhang Jingrong who died while rescuing three drowning girls in the DPRK.

Yang conferred the First Class Friendship Medal and the Second Class Friendship Medal to Zhang and his colleague, Ruan Xingwang, at Mansudae Assembly Hall. Xue Yanyong, Zhang's widow, and Ruan accepted the medals and certificates.

Zhang and Ruan saw three DPRK girls swept out more than 60 meters from the beach by ocean currents while he visited a beach at Rason on Aug. 15, 2010.

The two men jumped into the sea and pushed the girls to the beach. The girls survived but Zhang was swept away by the waves.

Yang said at the ceremony that the DPRK would not forget the international spirit of Zhang and his contribution to DPRK-China friendship.

The DPRK media said Zhang's story showed "how deep the DPRK-China friendship is and the precious and lofty friendship is constantly solidified and developed for generations."