President Lee Myung-bak emphasized the strength of the Korea-U.S. alliance, while meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at Cheong Wa Dae Friday (Feb. 20).

During the meeting at his office, President Lee said to the top U.S. diplomat that the strong alliance between the two countries, evidenced by the United States'' sacrificial assistance in the 1950-53 Korean War, should continue to be kept up.

President Lee said that Korea''s close cooperation with the United States, Japan, China and Russia is critically important in dealing with regional issues, including North Korea''s denuclearization. Lee also confidently said that Clinton''s work as the U.S. Secretary of State will be of great assistance to Korea.

President Lee thanked the Secretary for her keen interest in inter-Korean relations and her North Korean denuclearization policies.

Secretary Clinton delivered U.S. President Obama''s message that he was looking forward to meeting with President Lee at the upcoming G20 summit in London.

Before her visit to Cheong Wa Dae, the top U.S. diplomat met with Korea''s Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan. The two ministers called for North Korea to immediately scrap the nuclear programs and get back into inter-Korean dialogue without delay.

The two diplomats pledged to collaborate to denuclearize North Korea in a complete and verifiable manner, assisted by the six-party talks, which also involve Japan, Russia and China.

They also spoke with one voice that North Korea''s recent series of provocative actions should stop with no strings attached, and North Korea should return to inter-Korean talks.

Yu and Clinton also agreed to closely cooperate in efforts for global economic recovery, a successful London G20 summit, Korea-U.S. FTA ratification, and peacemaking in war-torn Afghanistan.

They also concurred on the necessity for both countries'' presidents to hold a summit in the near future in order to nurture a stronger alliance and boost cooperation in international issues.