By Kim Yon-se
Korea Times Correspondent

WASHINGTON, D.C. ― South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and U.S. President George W. Bush will hold a summit on April 18-19 at Camp David, the presidential retreat.

Lee's secretaries said the two leaders will meet three times during the venue ― for dinner talks Friday, for official summit talks early Saturday, and ensuing luncheon talks.

The agenda will cover cooperation on North Korean policies, joint efforts for early ratification of the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement, and the visa waiver program for South Koreans planning to visit the United States, the aides said.

Also likely to be discussed is coordination in multilateral security frameworks. An official said there is a possibility that Lee and Bush might make an unexpected announcement after the summit.

``All of the agenda will be discussed on the basic assumption that the two countries will reinforce their alliance,'' an aide to Lee said.

In particular, as Pyongyang has continued to express its uneasiness about the inter-Korean policy of Lee, who took office on Feb. 25, of prime concern is whether the two leaders will adopt a new coordinated stance on the North.

Possible tensions on the Korean Peninsula could be a burden for Bush, who is assumed to want to achieve an epoch-making breakthrough in Northeast Asia by leading North Korea to denuclearization.

In the commercial sector, the bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) has yet to be ratified by the two countries' legislatures. Moreover, U.S. Democrats, including presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, have been calling for renegotiations for more gains in the automobile and other sectors.

Lee will be the first Korean president to go to Camp David, an apparent indication of warming ties following the inauguration of the conservative South Korean President, who is said to have a lot in common with Bush, including religious beliefs, a hardline policy toward North Korea and a commitment to market-based economic policies.

Experts say Bush had maintained uncomfortable relations with Lee's liberal predecessors, who focused more on inter-Korean ties rather than on the North's denuclearization, and sought a reduction of dependence on the U.S., amid anxiety of Korea's ``conservatives'' over the ``weakening'' bilateral alliance.

Following the three rounds of talks at Camp David, the two leaders will issue a coordinated press release for Korean and U.S. reporters.

``Bush and Lee will each give four-minute opening remarks before fielding questions from reporters at a press conference,'' a South Korean official said.

kys@koreatimes.co.kr