A stern message toward North Korea to resolve the nuclear impasse will be issued at the summit of President Lee Myung-bak and U.S. President Barack Obama today, a senior Blue House official said.

After wrapping up his visit to China, Obama arrived here yesterday evening, landing at the U.S. Forces Korea’s air base in Osan, south of Seoul. South Korea is the last stop on Obama’s nine-day Asian tour. Anticipation was running high yesterday that today’s summit between Lee and Obama will propel both leaders to push their legislatures to complete the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement.

Beyond North Korea and the FTA, climate change and U.S. cooperation in Seoul’s hosting of the G-20 summit next November will also be on the table. Blue House officials said President Lee spent much of yesterday preparing for the summit, going over the main agenda items with key aides.

The summit follows Washington’s decision to send a special envoy to North Korea to discuss Pyongyang’s possible return to the stalled six-nation nuclear talks. Lee and Obama are also meeting days after a naval skirmish between the two Koreas in the Yellow Sea.

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