Obama to welcome South Korean president in October

President Obama and Park will discuss security and economic issues, as well as the threat posed by North Korea’s regime, the White House said in a statement.

The White House also welcomed Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on a state visit in April, but Park will not receive the formal ceremonial trappings.

Obama and Park had been scheduled to meet in Washington in June, but Park postponed the visit because of a deadly outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome in her country.

The leaders 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”, the White House said. It is Park’s second visit to the White House.

The U.S. has flatly denied the reports, saying participation is South Korea’s “sovereign decision”.

North Korea has not commented on the mine blasts.

Her warning out of Seoul’s presidential office came as her defense ministry stepped up its response to the explosions, which left two South Korean soldiers needing leg amputations.

On Wednesday, Park vowed to sternly deal with North Korea’s provocations.

The United States has condemned North Korea for planting the landmines, calling it a breach of the Armistice Agreement that ended the 1950-53 Korean War.