US president arrives in Seoul

US President George W. Bush arrived in the Republic of Korea (ROK) yesterday for talks focused on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and was greeted by a minor protest aimed mostly at his host instead of a big anti-US rally that had been expected.

In a surprise boost for Bush, who has largely managed to set aside prickly issues with Seoul, it was a rally in the city center in support of what is likely to be his last visit to East Asia as president that ended up attracting a huge crowd.

"I came to pray for the country to come together and with President Bush coming, for his visit to go smoothly," Lim Ji-young, 23, said against a background of gospel music at the pro-US prayer rally of an estimated 15,000 people.