Pres. Lee to Visit U.S., Japan in mid-April

President Lee Myung-bak will visit the United States April 15-19 and Japan April 20-21 for bilateral summits, presidential spokesman Lee Dong-kwan told a media briefing yesterday.

Shortly after his two visits, President Lee will fly to China and Russia for more high-level meetings in line with his administration’s policy of strengthening relations with the world’s four major powers.

Spokesman Lee told a weekly briefing, “U.S. President George W. Bush and Laura Bush invited President Lee and First Lady Kim Yoon-ok to Camp David for two days during their U.S. visit. The summit is expected to be held at the venue.”

President Lee is the first Korean head of state invited to Camp David.

"This reflects [President Bush’s] personal trust toward Lee and Washington’s warm reception of Lee’s visit,” the spokesman said. “The summit is expected to raise bilateral relations to a higher level."

Following his U.S. visit, President Lee will arrive in Japan on April 20 for summit talks with Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda.

President Lee and Fukuda will discuss the resumption of shuffle bilateral diplomacy to deal with North Korean issues, promotion of exchanges between the younger generations of Korea and Japan, and establishment of a partnership on the environment and energy.

swpark@donga.com