President Barack Obama hailed a just-completed trade dealwith South Korea Thursday as he welcomed the country's president to the WhiteHouse, offering warm praise for a solid ally in a world in flux.
At a joint news conference with South Korean President LeeMyung-bak, Obama said that the long-delayed trade pact approved late Wednesdayby Congress is "a win for both our countries," and that he and Leehad agreed to move forward with it quickly.
Obama said the deal would increase U.S. exports by $11billion and support 70,000 jobs, while opening Korea's market to U.S. goods.Alluding to an issue that held up the deal, Obama said, "I'm very pleasedit will help level the playing field for American automakers."
Obama is scheduled to take Lee with him to the Detroit areaon Friday to tour a General Motors plant.
Lee said the trade deal, which still requires approval fromSouth Korea's legislature, "will mark a turning point in the enduringalliance between our two nations" and called it "a historicachievement that will become a significant milestone."
Lee's state visit, officially begun Thursday morning with aSouth Lawn arrival ceremony full of pomp and circumstance, gave Obama a chanceto celebrate a victory after going to Seoul last November to announce afree-trade pact with Lee — only to stand with his ally empty-handed becausetheir negotiators had not been able to finish the deal.
For Obama, it was a rare bipartisan achievement amidpolitical gridlock over his jobs agenda heading into his re-election campaign,and the president touted it as proof of his ability to work with theopposition.
"This trade deal, this Korea free trade act, shows weare happy to work with Republicans where they are willing to put politicsbehind the interests of the American people," Obama said.
Lee was to address a joint meeting of Congress Thursdaybefore wrapping up his visit with a state dinner, the Obama administration'sfifth such gala. Earlier Obama entertained Lee in a less formal setting, takinghim out to eat at an upscale Korean restaurant in suburban Virginia Wednesdayevening.
It was a sign of the close relationship between the twoleaders, which both underscored during their news conference.
Obama called Korea "one of our strongest allies"and praised Lee's "vision and commitment."
Lee, who took time Wednesday to visit the Korean WarVeterans Memorial on the National Mall, returned the compliment, speaking of"the strong partnership and friendship between our two countries."
Obama also had strong words for communist-governed NorthKorea, saying that "if Pyongyangcontinues to ignore its internationalobligations it will invite even more pressure and isolation." Askedwhether North Korea might one day undergo the kind of popular uprising thattoppled governments in the Arab Spring, Obama suggested that someday it might.
"I think that obviously the people of North Korea havebeen suffering under repressive policies for a very long time and none of uscan look at a crystal ball and known when suddenly that type of governmentcollapses on its own," Obama said. "What we know though is whatpeople everywhere ... are looking for is the ability to determine their owndestiny."
Lee joined Obama in condemning North Korea and calling onthe country to "abandon its nuclear ambitions."
The U.S. and South Korea, Lee said, "speak with onevoice" on the issue.
The trade deal — America's biggest free-trade agreementsince the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico —will elevate the U.S.-South Korean alliance, traditionally defined by theiropposition to North Korea. More than 28,000 U.S. troops remain based in SouthKorea as a deterrent.
Under Obama, efforts to engage Asian nations have had theirups and downs. The key relationship with Japan has suffered from Tokyo'sconveyor belt of prime ministers, and the U.S. has struggled to realize aneffective, strategic alliance with India.
Relations with South Korea have been far morestraightforward. Seoul has proved a willing helper on U.S. foreign policypriorities such as Afghanistan and fighting climate change.
The allies have moved in lockstep in their diplomacy towardNorth Korea, which was accused of launching two military attacks in 2010 thatsank a South Korean submarine and killed 50 South Koreans, almost sparkinganother war on the divided Korean Peninsula.
Obama and Lee have refused to offer fresh aid and incentivesto North Korea without Pyongyang taking concrete action to show it is sincereabout eventually giving up its nuclear weapons.
That policy of "strategic patience" and reluctanceto jump back into negotiations has come in for criticism. While multinationaldisarmament talks have been suspended, North Korea has unveiled a uraniumprogram that gives it a new means of generating fissile material for atomicbombs.
In recent months, however, both Seoul and Washington haveheld exploratory talks with Pyongyang, helping dial down tensions.
The United States is expected to hold another meeting withNorth Korea soon, to discuss how the six-nation disarmament-for-aidnegotiations can get back on track. Although it is thought very unlikelyPyongyang would ever give up its nuclear weapons, talks are seen as a way offorestalling fresh aggression by the North.
Both South Korea and the United States are entering anelection year and will want to avoid the kind of security crisis that couldensue following a nuclear test or military attack.