hankyoreh

Lee Myung-bak, the presidential candidate of the main opposition Grand National Party, will visit the United States on October 14-17 for meetings with U.S. President George W. Bush and other politicians, the party’s spokesman, Park Hyung-joon, said yesterday.

It is rare for a U.S. president to meet a presidential candidate of a certain nation ahead of the nation’s presidential election. The meeting is likely to spark controversy ahead of the December vote, as some critics may accuse Bush of supporting the candidate.

In a press briefing, Park said, “Lee will visit the U.S. from October 14 to 17 and have an official meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush.” He added, “Melissa Bennett, deputy assistant to the president for appointments and scheduling, confirmed the meeting today.”

In a telephone interview with The Hankyoreh, Kang Young-woo, policy advisor at the National Council on Disability, said the meeting between Lee and Bush would take place on October 15 or 16. Kang said that some political leaders, including former U.S. Attorney General Richard Thornburgh, Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and former Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge, assisted with the Lee-Bush meeting.

In a statement, the U.S. White House said it welcomed the GNP’s request for the Lee-Bush meeting and the meeting would offer a very valuable opportunity for promoting friendship and strengthening the alliance between South Korea and the United States.

During the meeting, Lee and Bush are expected to discuss the second inter-Korean summit, North Korea’s nuclear program, the six-party talks and a free trade agreement between South Korea and the United States.

“The planned meeting between Lee and Bush (ahead of the presidential election) shows that the U.S. has recognized Lee’s status,” Park, the GNP spokesperson, said.

If Lee meets Bush, it would be the first time that a presidential candidate from South Korea’s main opposition party met a U.S. president. Ahead of the 2002 presidential election, Lee Hoi-chang, the GNP’s presidential candidate at the time, visited the United States but did not meet with Bush. In particular, the Lee-Bush meeting is likely to have significant ramifications because it will be taking place with the presidential election only two months away.

“It’s uncommon for the U.S. president to meet a mainstream politician from another country ahead of the country’s presidential election,” said a government official.

During the meeting, Lee is expected to exchange a wide range of viewpoints on Seoul-Washington relations, the South Korea-U.S. free trade agreement and North Korea. “The topics of discussion may change following the summit between President Roh Moo-hyun and North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. However, if there are major issues that arise during the summit, the Lee-Bush meeting will be a diplomatic event confirming the promotion of the South Korea-U.S. alliance, the disarmament of the North’s nuclear program and the quick ratification of the South Korea-U.S. FTA,” said an official from the GNP’s election preparation team. If the meeting were to cover such subjects, it would avert political controversy, the official said.

Korea University Professor Hyun In-taek, who is a diplomacy advisor for Lee, said, “The meeting may indicate that Bush considers Lee as a person of importance because Lee is the front-runner in the presidential race.”

A person close to Lee said the meeting with Bush would not prompt centrist-minded voters, who represent the core of Lee’s support base, to withdraw their support from Lee because they have a tendency to think and behave in a pragmatic way. His comments indicate that the planned meeting with Bush would help Lee to solidify his leading position in the presidential race.

However, some political observers say the meeting could spawn new controversies. One possible controversy could erupt over the degree of U.S. influence in the South Korean presidential election. A photo image of Lee and Bush after the meeting may reignite another controversy between pro-American and anti-American groups.

In addition, Lee, known for his controversial comments at official events, is likely to make an unexpected remark or two during the meeting. Incheon University professor Lee Joon-han said, “Some may accuse Lee of neglecting election pledges ahead of the presidential election.”

Insiders at Lee’s camp are also known to be concerned over the meeting with Bush.

Park Yong-jin, a spokesman for Kwon Young-gil, the presidential candidate of the progressive Democratic Labor Party, criticized the United States for “picking a presidential candidate with its own best interests at heart.” Park described the planned meeting between Lee and Bush as an act of worship of the United States.

Lee Nak-yeon, a spokesman for the newly-launched United New Democratic Party, said he hoped for productive dialogue during the meeting. However, he added, “If the GNP were to visit the U.S. to get support for the presidential election, it would be an act of anachronism and flunkeyism,” the spokesman said.