Obama to host South Korea's Park in mid-June

WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama will welcome South Korean President Park Geun-hye to the White House on June 16, the White House said Tuesday.

Park's visit, her second to Washington since taking office, will "underscore the strength and breadth" of the partnership between the US and South Korea, and demonstrate the "close" ties between the two peoples, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said in a statement.

Obama and Park will exchange views on a broad range of security, economic and global issues, including the US-South Korea alliance and "the critical role it plays in assuring regional stability and security," Earnest said.

They will discuss the current security situation on the Korean Peninsula "in the face of the continued threat" from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The two leaders will also review ongoing efforts to strengthen economic cooperation between the two countries and chart the expansion of cooperation into new areas that include environment, health and cyber security, Earnest added.