President Kim`s trip to Washington set

President Kim Dae-Jung leaves for Washington Tuesday afternoon for talks with U.S. President George W. Bush.

The two leaders will meet on the morning of March 7 (early on March 8 Korean time) to discuss the Seoul-Washington alliance and their positions on North Korea. A joint press conference will follow.

Kim will be out of the country for six days until March 11, spending a total of three nights in Washington, one night in Chicago and the rest of the time on his way to or from the United States.

Besides Bush, President Kim is expected to meet with a number of U.S. congressional leaders and members of the Bush administration, including Secretary of State Colin Powell and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

Yun Seung-Mo ysmo@donga.com