U.S. President George W. Bush arrived in Seoul on Tuesday for summit talks with his South Korean counterpart Lee Myung-bak over measures to reinforce the two countries' bilateral military, economic and diplomatic alliance, "Yonhap" news agency reported. On landing at a military airport in the southern outskirts of Seoul, at 6:20 p.m. (local time), Bush and his wife, Laura Bush, were greeted by South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan, Lee's security advisor Kim Sung-hwan and other Korean and U.S. dignitaries. Following a brief welcoming ceremony at the airport, which included a 21-gun salute, Bush and his entourage headed directly to a hotel in downtown Seoul by car. Bush's visit to South Korea marks his third while in office after two previous visits here in 2002 and 2005. On Wednesday, Bush and Lee will hold their third summit meeting at the presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae, before releasing a joint statement reaffirming their commitment to the future-oriented development of the South Korea-U.S. alliance. Following a luncheon with Lee at Cheong Wa Dae, Bush will meet with U.S. service members stationed in South Korea.
