BUSAN, South Korea (AP) -- Counseling resolve and patience, 
U.S. President George W. Bush is looking for a show of 
unity among Asian leaders to press North Korea to abandon 
its nuclear weapons program.

Among those gathering here for a 21-nation summit are the 
leaders of the five countries -- the United States, China, 
South Korea, Russia and Japan -- negotiating with North 
Korea for its nuclear disarmament. 

Bush was meeting Thursday with South Korean President Roh 
Moo-hyun after talks Wednesday in Japan with Prime Minister 
Junichiro Koizumi that included a call for dismantling 
North Korea's nuclear program.

South Korea has resisted the tough approach advocated by 
the Bush administration for ending the impasse with North 
Korea, opposing the idea of military action if diplomacy 
fails.

South Korea also is cool to the idea of taking the standoff 
to the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions.

"The tone is different sometimes because, of course, for 
the people of the Republic of Korea, the demilitarized zone 
is right at their doorstep," said Mike Green, senior 
director for Asian affairs on the National Security Council.

Green said Seoul, the South Korean capital, was as close to 
the demilitarized zone separating the two countries and to 
North Korean artillery as the White House was to Dulles 
International Airport, some 50 kilometers (30 miles) 
outside Washington.

"It's very much a clear and present threat for the people," 
he said.

Green, talking with reporters on Air Force One as it flew 
to South Korea, said Bush and Roh would discuss ways to 
strengthen coordination on foreign policy. 

The objective was to have the pursuit of North-South 
reconciliation reinforce the disarmament talks, Green said.