S. Korean president to hold summit with new Japanese premier next week

By Byun Duk-kun
SEOUL, Sept. 17 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak will hold his
first summit with new Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama next week to discuss
ways to improve the bilateral relationship, an official at Seoul's presidential
office Cheong Wa Dae said Thursday.

The Lee-Hatoyama meeting will be held Wednesday (New York time) on the sidelines
of the U.N. General Assembly, according to the official.
"The leaders will discuss ways to further develop ties between the two countries
into a future-oriented relationship as it will mark their first meeting since
Hatoyama came into office," the official said, asking not to be identified.
Hatoyama became Japan's new prime minister Wednesday after his Democratic Party
of Japan (DPJ) defeated the long-governing Liberal Democratic Party in last
month's general elections.
Lee and Hatoyama first met in June during the latter's visit here as head of the
DPJ.
The South Korean president had said he hopes Japan's new liberal government will
work to improve Korea-Japan ties on a more permanent basis.
"The Korea-Japan relationship has steadily developed over the years, and there is
hope it will develop to a higher level at which they completely trust each
other," Lee said in an interview Tuesday with Yonhap and Japan's Kyodo News.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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