Lee says he shares common vision with Obama

By Yoo Cheong-mo
SEOUL, Nov. 5 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak said Wednesday that he and U.S.
president-elect Barack Obama have a common vision for new changes.
"President-elect Obama is calling for new changes in the United States. His
vision looks just like that of my South Korean government," Lee was quoted by his
spokesman as saying in a meeting with local foreign policy experts.
Lee met with a dozen private sector experts on foreign affairs to exchange views
on security and the diplomatic outlook for the Korean Peninsula and other changes
expected following Obama's election victory, according to presidential spokesman
Lee Dong-kwan.
Earlier Wednesday, President Lee sent a congratulatory message to both Obama and
his running-mate, Joe Biden, and expressed hope for further development of
bilateral relations between South Korea and the U.S.
Spokesman Lee said the prvate experts have asked President Lee to pay greater
attention to holding closer bilateral policy consultation to build up South
Korea-U.S. cooperation while seeking to expand human networks and trust with the
Obama camp.
Meanwhile, a top foreign policy adviser to President Lee said the South Korean
government has ruled out the possibility of renegotiating the South Korea-U.S.
free trade agreement (FTA) deal with the Obama administration.
"Obama's Democratic Party, supported by labor unions, had expressed its objection
to the Korea-U.S. FTA during the presidential campaign. But we expect the FTA
issue to be resolved smoothly in the end," said the adviser.
"What is important is for the South Korean parliament to ratify the Korea-U.S.
FTA deal ahead of the U.S. Congress."
ycm@yna.co.kr
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