Bush, S. Korean President, Meet in Sydney

South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun Friday asked U.S. President George W. Bush to be clearer about a formal end to the Korean War.

The awkward diplomatic exchange came on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Sydney, where the 21 members of APEC are meeting for their annual summit.

Bush and Roh met privately to discuss continuing negotiations with North Korea over its nuclear weapons program.

Meeting later for a photograph, Bush and Roh agreed there had been progress in trying to resolve the issue. Roh then urged Bush to be clearer about ending the 1950-53 Korean War.

That conflict between North and South Korea ended in a truce, not a peace treaty, meaning they are still technically at war. The United States has no peace treaty with North Korea.

Bush, in response, told Roh the United States officially would end the Korean War when North Korea officially ends its nuclear weapons program.

In trying to explain the exchange, National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said, There was clearly something lost in translation during the photo op.