Obama and Lee Myung-bak both condemn North Korea
On a sunny and humid Washington morning, South Korea鈥檚 president took part in an Obama Administration first -- the first Rose Garden news conference Barack Obama has held with a foreign leader.
Tuesday鈥檚 ceremony was clearly designed to symbolize the unity and determination of the two countries' alliance at a time when North Korea has said it will expand its nuclear programs and is reportedly preparing to test a missile which could reach Alaska.
President Lee Myung-bak and President Obama emerged from the outside door of the Oval Office at 11:40 a.m. dressed eerily alike in dark blue suits, white shirts, and light blue ties.
To underscore the message of unity, in his opening remarks President Obama announced that First Lady Michelle Obama was 鈥渓ooking forward鈥� to hosting Mrs. Lee. After the session, Messrs. Lee and Obama were slated to have lunch with Vice President Biden and other aides in the Old Family Dining Room on the second floor of the White House.
The men broke little policy ground in their appearance. As they spoke, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel stood under the colonnade linking the West Wing and the residence, working on his BlackBerry. National Security Advisor James Jones chatted a few feet away.
Obama said a nuclear armed North Korea poses 鈥渁 grave threat鈥� to the world and said 鈥渨e are going to break鈥� the pattern of North Korea being rewarded for threatening actions. Lee thanked the United States for its 鈥渟elfless sacrifice鈥� in defending his nation and said 鈥渦nder no circumstances鈥� would North Korea be allowed to possess nuclear weapons.
Unlike Obama鈥檚 prime time East Room press conferences, there were a smattering of empty seats at Tuesday鈥檚 gathering -- both among the chairs reserved for journalists from South Korea and in the section for the domestic press corps.
With birds chirping in the background, both South Korean and US reporters focused their questions on President Obama. Asked about the aftermath of Iranian elections, he said 鈥渟omething has happened in Iran鈥� with voters more willing to question the government鈥檚 鈥渁ntagonistic postures towards the international community.鈥� While saying he wanted to avoid being seen as meddling in Iranian affairs, Obama added that, 鈥淚 stand strongly with the universal principle that people鈥檚 voices should be heard.鈥�
He ducked a question on when a trade deal between the US and North Korea would be implemented. Obama has said it does not adequately deal with automotive trade issues between the two countries. 鈥淥nce we have resolved some of the substantive issues, then there is going to be the issue of political timing,鈥� Obama said.
When asked about the financial regulation plans the administration will formally unveil on Wednesday, the president said 鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to step on my announcement tomorrow.鈥� But he added that the administration would put forward a 鈥渧ery strong set鈥� of regulatory measures that would be 鈥渁 heavy lift鈥� to get through Congress.
And then, 28 minutes after their appearance began, the two president鈥檚 walked out of the Rose Garden and down the colonnade to the residence for lunch, followed by a long line of male aides in dark blue suits and a lonely female aide in a summery white outfit.
