South Korean President Lee Myung-bakleft for Washington on Monday to meet with U.S. President Barack Obama for a summit amid current elevated tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Lee, leaving South Korea at around 09:00 a.m. local time (0000 GMT), will have a summit with President Obama on Tuesday to discuss over cooperative plans for denuclearizing the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and inspecting the conditions of the South Korea-U.S. combined defense.

In particular, the two leaders are to jointly adopt a statement entitled "The Joint Vision for the Republic of Korea (ROK)-U.S. alliance" in a move to strengthen the South Korea-U.S. alliance.

Issues related to the South Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA), awaiting ratification by both countries' parliamentary bodies, the ongoing global financial crisis, and industrial technology alliance will also be dealt in detail during the summit, local media reported.

During his three-day visit, Lee is also scheduled to meet with high-level U.S. officials and business leaders to further discuss on the South Korea-U.S. FTA, along with having a lecture at the George Washington University and a meeting with the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.

The South Korea-U.S. summit, first since the inauguration of the Lee administration, excluding the brief meeting held during the 2009 G20 London Summit on April 2, comes amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula as the DPRK conducted its second nuclear test on May 25 and South Korea joined a U.S.-led anti-proliferation campaign.

The White House earlier said the U.S. president was looking forward to "exploring ways in which the two countries can strengthen cooperation on the regional and global challenges of the 21st century."

Source: Xinhua