S. Korean president to visit US in October: White House

WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama will host his South Korean counterpart Park Geun-hye in the White House on Oct. 16 to discuss bilateral and global issues, the White House announced Wednesday.

The visit "will underscore the strength and breadth of the US- Republic of Korea partnership and demonstrate the close personal ties between the American and Korean peoples," the White House said in a statement.

The two leaders will exchange views on a broad range of security, economic, and global issues, including the alliance and the critical role South Korea plays in assuring regional stability and security, the statement said.

"They will chart the expansion of our cooperation into new areas that will increasingly shape the relationship in the 21st century, such as environment, energy, space, health, and cybersecurity," it said, adding that the two leaders will also discuss the current security situation on the Korean Peninsula "in the face of the continued threat from North Korea."

Park's visit to the US, her second since taking office in 2013, was originally planned for June but was delayed due to the outbreak of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome. In addition to her talks with Obama, Park also addressed a joint session of the US Congress during her first visit to the US in May 2013.