YONHAP NEWS

(LEAD) S. Korean president due in Washington for summit with Obama

By Byun Duk-kun
SEOUL, June 9 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak will travel to the United States next week for a summit with his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama for talks on ways to strengthen the alliance between their countries and cooperation in dealing with North Korea's nuclear provocations, Seoul's presidential office said Tuesday.

   The summit will be held in Washington on June 16, the day after the South Korean president arrives in the U.S. capital on an "official working visit," according to the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae.

   Lee's U.S. trip follows North Korea's second nuclear test on May 25. The communist state conducted its first atomic detonation in October 2006.

   "President Lee's U.S. visit will be an especially meaningful trip as the leaders of South Korea and the United States will reaffirm their strong determination to further develop the alliance and discuss ways to closely cooperate with each other to achieve complete and verifiable denuclearization of North Korea," Cheong Wa Dae said in a press release.

   The White House earlier said the U.S. president was looking forward to "exploring ways in which the two countries can strengthen cooperation on the regional and global challenges of the 21st century."

   Lee and Obama are expected to sign a document at the end of their summit on a "joint vision for the Korea-U.S. alliance," which will detail steps for developing what has been largely a military alliance into a strategic, future-oriented relationship spanning across social, political and economic issues, a Cheong Wa Dae official said.

   "We are also working with the U.S. side to include U.S. commitment to the provision of a nuclear umbrella to South Korea in the joint statement," the official told reporters, asking not to be identified.

   The Lee-Obama meeting will be followed by a joint press conference and an official lunch, according to Cheong Wa Dae.

   The South Korean president's itinerary also includes meetings with ranking U.S. officials and business leaders as he is expected to rally support for the ratification of a Korea-U.S. free trade agreement signed two years ago.

   Lee will receive an honorary doctorate degree from George Washington University before heading back home on May 18.

   bdk@yna.co.kr
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