The following is the full-text of a joint statement issued at the end of a summit between President Lee Myung-bak and U.S. President George W. Bush in Seoul, Wednesday.
The two Presidents recalled that their first summit meeting at Camp David on April 19 was a milestone in the development of a ROK-U.S. strategic alliance for the 21st century. In their Aug. 6 meeting, the two leaders had in depth discussions on the development of the ROK-U.S. alliance, the approval of the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA), the North Korean nuclear issue and other North Korea-related issues, and ways to expand cooperation on important bilateral, regional and global issues.
They agreed to develop the alliance in a future-oriented way, based upon the traditional friendly relationship and mutual trust between the two nations.
They also agreed to further strengthen strategic coordination and cooperation between the two countries with a view to the prompt resolution of the North Korean nuclear issue and the creation of a new peace structure on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia.
The two leaders affirmed that the alliance between the two countries has contributed to peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia for over 50 years.
They reconfirmed their strong commitment to further developing the alliance's fundamental mission through enhancing the countries' combined defense capabilities and continuing to implement the relevant agreements concerning the transition of wartime operational control and the relocation and realignment of U.S. Forces in Korea.
They resolved to move forward with developing the alliance into a strategic and future-oriented structure to better address changes in the security environment and future needs in the 21st century.
They shared the view that on the basis of common values and trust, the scope of cooperation within the alliance needs to broaden and deepen to encompass not only security cooperation, but also political, economic, social, and cultural cooperation.
They further agreed to develop the alliance in a way that will also contribute to peace and prosperity at the regional and global level.
The two Presidents reaffirmed that the FTA will boost trade, increase economic growth and create jobs in both the United States and Korea, while also adding an enduring economic pillar to our two countries' bilateral partnership.
Toward that end, they committed themselves to working with their respective legislatures to approve the FTA as soon as possible.
The two leaders welcomed the progress made toward implementing the second-phase actions for the implementation of the Joint Statement of Sept. 19, 2005 and shared the view that this progress contributes to peace and stability in Northeast Asia.
They also agreed that a rigorous verification regime needs to be established in order to ensure the completeness and correctness of the declaration submitted by North Korea, and that the fulfillment of all the parties' obligations should be ensured through a monitoring mechanism within the six-party talks framework.
They urged North Korea to promptly complete its commitments in the second phase of the denuclearization process and, through third-phase actions, to implement full abandonment of all its nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs.
They reaffirmed their intent to take corresponding measures together with other participating countries in the six-party talks, and agreed to continue close coordination between South Korea and the United States for the further progress in the six-party talks.
They made it clear that they are committed to helping North Korea integrate into the international community and thereby partake in the peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia.
The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to improving the human rights situation in North Korea and shared the view that in the process of normalizing relations, meaningful progress should be made on improving North Korea's human rights record.
President Bush reiterated his full support for President Lee's recent proposal to resume inter-Korean dialogue and his initiative to help improve the economic conditions for the North Korean people in the context of continued progress on denuclearization and to offer a path for the two Koreas to live side-by-side in harmony and prosperity, opening the way to their eventual unification.
They agreed to continue close cooperation and policy coordination on their relations with North Korea.
President Bush expressed his regret and condolences regarding the shooting death of a South Korean tourist at the Mt. Geumgang resort area on July 11, and urged relevant North Korean authorities to engage in inter-Korean dialogue to promptly resolve the case and prevent any recurrence of such a tragedy.
President Bush expressed deep appreciation for the contribution Korea has made to peace and reconstruction in Iraq, Afghanistan and other conflict areas.
The two Presidents affirmed their commitment to continue working to forge an international consensus on ambitious, realistic and achievable steps to respond to the challenge of global climate change, including through joint efforts in the Major Economies Meeting process and the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate.
They shared the view that more efforts by the international community are needed to address global issues and threats such as terrorism, WMD proliferation, transnational crimes, and energy security, and they agreed to continue close consultations on ways to cooperate in this regard.
The two leaders agreed to actively promote close cooperation in the fields of civil space exploration, and space science and in the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
They also agreed to enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples by working to launch the Work, English Study and Travel (WEST) Program, which will provide an opportunity for Korean university students to study English, work, and enrich their knowledge and experience in the United States.
The two Presidents also noted that the two governments have made great strides toward Korea's full membership in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP).
They pledged to continue joint efforts to bring about Korea's participation in the VWP by the end of this year, thereby further solidifying the already strong people-to-people links between Korea and the United States.