President Lee to brief party leaders on U.S. trip

SEOUL, June 19 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak will brief
leaders of the country's political parties on the outcome of his meetings with
his U.S. counterpart and ranking officials in Washington, Lee's office said
Friday.
The meeting will be held at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae on Saturday,
with key participants including the leader of the ruling Grand National Party,
Park Hee-tae, and the head of the minor opposition Liberty Forward Party, Rep.
Lee Hoi-chang, according to an official.
The main opposition Democratic Party refused to attend, the official said.
"President Lee plans to discuss the outcome of his trip to the United States," he
told reporters.
Lee returned home Thursday after a three-day visit to Washington, where he also
met with U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and State Secretary Hillary Clinton
for discussions on the North Korean nuclear issue.
Lee and U.S. President Barack Obama said their countries will work to break what
they called a "pattern" of North Korean provocation followed by international
concessions.
"The message we are sending -- and when I say 'we,' not simply the United States
and the Republic of Korea, but I think the international community -- is we are
going to break that pattern," Obama had said in a joint press conference with Lee
after their summit Tuesday.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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