Moon, Trump meet for first time over White House dinner

WASHINGTON, June 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump met Thursday for the first time since they both came into office earlier in the year. The two leaders were joined by their wives, Kim Jung-sook and Melania, respectively, for dinner at the White House. The welcome dinner, hosted by the U.S. first couple, followed a brief reception. It marked only the second dinner hosted by the U.S. president at the White House for a foreign leader, according to officials from South Korea's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae. It also involved some eight other officials from each side. The dinner marked the first ever meeting of the two leaders, held on the eve of their official bilateral talks that were widely expected to focus on ways to strengthen the countries' alliance and contain provocative North Korea. Seoul officials said forming a close, personal relationship between the leaders was also a key objective. They said the U.S. has so far provided Moon with the highest formalities since his arrival here Wednesday, apparently reflecting the importance the U.S. and its president place on the Korea-U.S. alliance. bdk@yna.co.kr (END)