Lee to hold summit talks with Obama next mont

South Korean President Lee Myung- bak will visit the United States for talks with President Barack Obama over their alliance and policy coordination on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Lee's office said Wednesday. The fifth head of state to be formally invited by Obama, Lee will also discuss at the summit slated for Oct. 13 bilateral economic cooperation including a two-way free trade pact, which awaits legislative approval in both countries, according to Cheong Wa Dae. "The official visit will be an important opportunity to further strengthen the alliance," Cheong Wa Dae said in a press release. The visit will come after Lee's trip to New York next week. He is scheduled to take part in the United Nations General Assembly meeting and a high-level nuclear safety meeting. The president will express South Korea's commitment to international peace and security, democracy, human rights and sustainable development in his keynote speech at the annual General Assembly meeting on Sept. 21.