Hillary Clinton arrives in Seoul

WATCH VIDEO

Source: CCTV.com | 02-20-2009 13:47

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has arrived in Seoul for a two-day visit to South Korea. The visit comes amid the heightened tensions between Seoul and Pyongyang.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is greeted by an unidentified U.S. official upon her arrival at a military airport in Seongnam, near Seoul, February 19, 2009. (Jo Yong-Hak/Reuters)

And many analysts are watching the effects that her visit is likely to introduce to the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

The US top diplomat touched down at the Seoul Airport late on Thursday. South Korean officials, including Ambassador to Washington Han Duck-soo, were there to greet her.

Clinton is set to meet with her South Korean counterpart Yu Myung-hwan on Friday morning and then hold a joint news conference.

Local media say the two diplomats are expected to discuss a range of issues. High on the agenda are likely to be the alliance between the two nations, policies on the DPRK, the nuclear issues on the Korean Peninsula and the parliamentary ratification of their bilateral free trade agreement.

Clinton will also meet President Lee Myung-bak and Prime Minister Han Seung-soo on Friday.

Many South Korean analysts say Clinton's visit provides a good opportunity for the two sides to coordinate their policies on the DPRK, given the current tensions on the Korean Peninsula.