Korean diplomacy in action‏

President Lee Myung-bak visited the United States from June 15 to 17 to hold summit talks with U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington, D.C. This is President Lee’s fist U.S. visit since the beginning of the Obama administration.

At the summit, the two leaders discussed ways to enhance the Korea-U.S. alliance, jointly respond to the North Korean nuclear issue and agreed to support the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement and boost cooperation in industry, technology, Korea’s low carbon-green growth policy, as well as measures to tackle climate change, the global financial crisis and other related global issues.

President Lee also met leaders of the United States Senate and House of Representatives during his trip, attended forums of both Korean and U.S. business leaders and received an honorary doctoral degree at George Washington University.
At the summit, the two leaders adopted "The Joint Vision for the Alliance of the Republic of Korea and the United States" and declared that the two countries will work together to achieve the complete and verifiable elimination of North Korea's nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs, as well as ballistic missile programs, and to promote respect for the fundamental human rights of the North Korean people.

The two leaders also said in the statement that both countries "will maintain a robust defense posture, backed by allied capabilities that support both nations' security interests," and added that, "the continuing commitment of extended deterrence, including the U.S. nuclear umbrella, reinforces this assurance."

Regarding the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement, President Lee and the U.S. leader said in the statement that the two countries "will continue to deepen our strong bilateral economic, trade and investment relations," and "recognize that the Korea-U.S. (KORUS) Free Trade Agreement could further strengthen these ties and we are committed to working together to chart a way forward."

On a global level, the two sides also decided to work closely against global terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction as well as other universal matters such as the global financial crisis, piracy, organized crime, climate change, poverty, narcotics, human rights infringements, energy security and epidemics.