WASHINGTON -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in and US President Donald Trump met Thursday for the first time since they both came into office earlier in the year.

The two leaders were joined by their wives, Kim Jung-sook and Melania, respectively, for dinner at the White House.

The welcome dinner, hosted by the US first couple, followed a brief reception. It marked only the second dinner hosted by the US president at the White House for a foreign leader, according to officials from South Korea's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae.

It also involved eight other officials from each side.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in (right) shakes hands with US President Donald Trump as he and his wife, Kim Jung-sook, arrived at the White House on June 29, 2017, for a dinner hosted by Trump and his wife, Melania, on the eve of the first Korea-US summit under the countries` new administrations. (Yonhap)
The dinner marked the first ever meeting of the two leaders, held on the eve of their official bilateral talks that were widely expected to focus on ways to strengthen the countries' alliance and contain provocative North Korea.

Seoul officials said forming a close, personal relationship between the leaders was also a key objective.

They said the US has so far provided Moon with the highest formalities since his arrival here Wednesday, apparently reflecting the importance the US and its president place on the Korea-US alliance.



The first meeting between new South Korean and US leaders ended after a brief, apparently unscheduled private meeting between the two, according to Cheong Wa Dae officials.

"The two leaders held a separate, brief meeting following their dinner, and the entire meeting came to end at 8:05 p.m.," an official said.

Their summit talks will be held at the White House early Friday. (Yonhap)