President Roh Moo-hyun and U.S. President George W. Bush are likely to hold summit talks on the sidelines of the next Asian regional forum in Sydney, Australia.

The presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said chief presidential security aide Baek Jong-chun will visit Washington Monday to prepare for the meeting which is expected to come during the 15th annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders' summit. The APEC meeting will be held September eighth and ninth.

Baek will meet with U.S. National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley and other Washington officials to discuss the North Korean nuclear issue, the upcoming inter-Korean summit and other matters.

If Mr. Roh and Bush hold talks in Sydney and not Washington, it would be difficult for Roh to address the United Nations general assembly, which opens ten days after APEC.

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