The President met with the visiting Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Yukia Amano at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae on Apr. 19, according to a government spokesperson.

The President praised the Director General''s leadership in handling issues that have been gaining more and more global attention recently, such as nuclear energy security and non-proliferation. The President also hoped that the Korean government would closely cooperate with the nuclear agency in expanding the former''s role and contribution in the international fields of nuclear energy.

Mr. Amano congratulated the Korean government on its hosting the 2nd Nuclear Security Summit scheduled in 2012 and expressed his wishes for a successful event. He also expressed his great appreciation for Korea''s enhanced role and contribution in the nuclear energy sector and hoped that Korea and the IAEA would join hands in pending nuclear-related international issues at the next IAEA general meeting.

Director General Amano is on a three-day visit to Seoul from April 18 to 20, at the invitation of the Korean government. Mr. Amano represents the 151-member-strong General Assembly of the IAEA. He was elected the 5th Director General of the body in December 2009 for a four-year tenure.