US President Barack Obama (on stage) welcomes his South Korean counterpart Lee Myung-Bak during a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on October 13, 2011. Lee on Thursday hailed a new free trade pact between his country and the United States as an “engine of growth” that will be a “win” for both nations. As he was welcomed to the White House by President Obama for a state visit, Lee said that the deal, ratified October 12 by the US Congress after years of delays, would create jobs and open a new chapter in the alliance. AFP Photo/Jewel Samad (Photo credit should read JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)