WASHINGTON, June 16 (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama said on Tuesday that he had agreed with South Korea on the need to fight trade protectionism as major economies collaborate in their efforts to aid the battered world economy.
"Earlier this year in London we agreed upon bold and sustained actions to jump-start growth and prevent a crisis like this from ever happening again," Obama told a press conference after a meeting with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak.
"Today we reaffirmed this effort, as well as our commitment to resist protectionism, and continue our close collaboration in the run-up to the next meeting of the G20 in Pittsburg," he said, referring to a summit of the Group of 20 leading nations in September. (Reporting by Alister Bull; Editing by Leslie Adler)