A special envoy of President-elect Lee Myung-bak left Monday for Washington to outline to Americans the incoming administration's diplomatic policy before Lee's inauguration on Feb. 25.
Chung Mong-joon, a businessman and five-term lawmaker, also plans to coordinate details on Lee's first summit with U.S. President George W. Bush that is expected to be held in March or April in Washington, Lee's transition team said.
Lee's aides are pushing for a state visit by the incoming president, which will allow him to receive the highest-level protocol including a formal welcome ceremony at the White House and a 21-round gun salute.
The envoy is to meet with senior U.S. officials in Washington and financiers in New York, according to the transition team.
Chung carries Lee's personal letter to Bush but no schedule has been fixed yet for his meeting with Bush, it added.
"The two sides are still trying to set a date, as President Bush has just ended his tour of the Middle East," a transition team official said.
The envoy will hold meetings with with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte on behalf of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who is on a foreign trip, as well as National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley, and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.
"Rep. Chung will explain to them the new administration's foreign policy and express the government's wish to bolster the South Korea-U.S. alliance," the official said. "He will also discuss major pending issues including the North Korean nuclear crisis, the ratification of the free trade agreement, and South Korea's pursuit of joining the (U.S.) visa waiver program."
Chung, the vice president of FIFA and the president of the Korea Football Association, is scheduled to return home this weekend.