ROK's Lee to visit US for talks with Bush

The Republic of Korea's (ROK) South Korean President Lee Myung-bak will visit the United States next month for his first face-to-face talks with US President George W. Bush, Lee's office announced yesterday.

The summit was expected to help develop personal ties between the two leaders, whose countries have seen traditionally friendly relations fray in recent years.

Lee, a pro-American conservative who took office two weeks ago with a pledge to boost the alliance with Washington, will hold talks with Bush at the Camp David presidential retreat in the eastern US state of Maryland on April 18-19, a statement from South Korea's presidential Blue House said.