South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun plans to visit Washington in September for a summit with U.S.
President George W. Bush, Roh's top security advisor announced Friday.
The date for the summit will be determined later through further consultations with the U.S. side, said Song Min-soon, chief presidential secretary for security policy.
Song said he will travel to Washington next month for discussions with U.S. National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley on the details of the summit.
"Issues of mutual concern, including North Korea's nuclear weapons and regional political issues, will be on the agenda of the summit," Song said in a news briefing.
"Since several months ago, the two countries have discussed holding a summit, as well as its specific schedule, and finally agreed on a September summit," he said.
South Korea's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae has said its summit-level diplomacy with the United States remains in good shape, denying some domestic media reports that leveled criticism at the protracted absence of direct dialogue between Roh and Bush.
The two leaders did not engage in telephone conversations over the past nine months, triggering speculation of a possible strain in bilateral relations.
They had an in-depth discussion on security and other pending issues on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum summit in Busan last November.
"Recently, South Korea and the U.S. are facing the need for closer consultations, fine-tuning on problems that would have an indirect impact on the North Korean nuclear weapons issue," Song said, indicating solutions to the deadlocked six-way talks on the North Korean nuclear issue would feature prominently at the summit.
"The two leaders adopted a joint declaration at last year's summit, setting the direction for the future path of bilateral relations. Close allies tend to have a lot of problems and issues to fine-tune," he said. Seoul, June 23 (Yonhap Seoul)
S. Korea, U.S. to hold summit talks in Washington in September |
