South Korea's presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae Thursday welcomed U.S. President George W. Bush's recognition of South Korean sovereignty over the easternmost islets of Dokdo, saying the move is the outcome of restored trust between the two nations.
"This (decision to recognize South Korean sovereignty over Dokdo) reflects the restoration of the South Korea-U.S. alliance and mutual trust," Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Lee Dong-kwan was quoted as saying by Yonhap News.
"The exceptionally swift reaction (by the U.S. government) suggests that President Bush has a full understanding of the Korean people's sentiment and also reflects deep trust and friendship between South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Bush," said the statement.
The statement came after Bush ordered a U.S. naming agency to restore South Korean sovereignty over Dokdo in its database.