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SEOUL - South Korea's new conservative President Lee Myung-Bak leaves Tuesday for a US summit aimed at strengthening the decades-old alliance following some friction under his liberal predecessors.
In his first overseas trip as president, Lee will meet President George W. Bush at Camp David on April 18-19 -- the first Korean leader to be invited to the rustic presidential retreat.
Lee's top diplomatic priority is the advancement of an alliance dating back to the 1950-53 Korean War, according to a government briefing paper, which terms it the "bedrock for peace and prosperity" in Korea and the region.
"We want to broaden the scope, depth and horizon of relations. We have high expectations for the visit," a senior Seoul presidential official told reporters last week.
"The summit will be as informal as possible," he said, with the two leaders arriving by golf buggy and shedding neckties to engage in "heart-to-heart talks" and develop their relationship.
Lee's liberal predecessor Roh Moo-Hyun signed a sweeping free trade agreement with the United States and sent troops to Iraq and Afghanistan. But the former human rights lawyer and Bush often looked uneasy in each other's company.
Lee, who will bring a wedding gift for Bush's daughter Jenna, "will be much more welcome than his predecessor," the official said on condition of anonymity.
He noted some past difficulties over the best way to handle North Korea.
Bush's initial hardline stance alarmed Seoul, while US officials privately expressed unease at some aspects of Roh's "sunshine" engagement policy with the North.
Lee wants Bush's backing for his policy of linking major economic aid to progress on nuclear disarmament, a stance which has prompted a volley of personalised insults from Pyongyang.
Six-party negotiations on the North's nuclear disarmament will be a key summit topic, along with efforts to ratify the free trade pact and the future security relationship.
The US stations 28,000 troops in the South to deter any repeat of the North's 1950 invasion. But a six-party pact envisages normalised diplomatic relations, a formal peace pact and major economic aid if the communist state gives up all its nuclear weapons and related material.
Buoyed by his party's general election victory last week, Lee hopes to have the free trade agreement (FTA) ratified soon in his country's legislature.
Despite Bush's support, the agreement will face a far rougher ride in the US Congress.
Senior Congress members say it does too little to free up the auto trade. They also demand that Seoul lift restrictions on the import of US beef --- seen as disguised protectionism -- as a condition for progress on the trade pact.
Seoul sees the FTA as the most significant bilateral treaty since the 1954 mutual defence pact. Total trade is worth an annual 80 billion dollars and some studies show this could eventually rise by up to 20 billion dollars under a free trade regime.
The two leaders are also expected to discuss a US request that Seoul send a 200-300-strong provincial reconstruction team to Afghanistan and a small police force to train local officers, according to media reports.
South Korea withdrew its non-combatant military units from the country only last December.
Lee will also push for the early introduction of a visa waiver programme for Koreans.
Before the summit, he will visit the New York Stock Exchange, attend an investor relations session and meet UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and US lawmakers, the presidential office said.
On his way home, Lee will visit Japan from April 20 to 21 for talks with Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda. He will also meet Emperor Akihito and appear on a TV talk show with Japanese youngsters.
He and Fukuda had what Tokyo called a "very warm and friendly meeting" on Lee's inauguration day on February 25.
The South Korean leader wants to ease relations with Japan, with ties no longer tainted by bitter memories of its 1910-1945 colonial rule over Korea. - AFP/ir
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