South Korean President Lee Myung-bak met Sunday with a group of 20 quake-affected children from China's Sichuan Province, encouraging them to make unremitting efforts to improve and fulfill themselves so as to become useful talented persons in the future.

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak holds Chinese pupil Wei Yuehao at the presidential palace Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul May 17, 2009. Lee Myung-bak on Sunday met with a delegation of 20 youngsters from southwest China's Sichuan Province, which was seriously hit in the Wenchuan earthquake on May 12, 2008. [Ji Xinlong/Xinhua]

Under the invitation of the President Lee, 20 children from the earth-quake hit areas visited the presidential office, Cheong Wa DAE, with their 20 friends coming from a South Korean nursery school.

Lee encouraged the quake-affected children to overcome the shock and difficulties.

"We can never lose hope. I hope you will grow up healthy and become talented persons for your country", said President Lee.

For her part, Li Xiaolin, vice-president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), thanked President Lee's invitation, saying that they felt true love from South Korean people.

Cheng Yonghua, China's Ambassador to South Korea said "South Korea is a good neighbor that can help when China is in need."

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak (R C), his wife Kim Yoon-ok (L C) and Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Cheng Yonghua (1st L) pose for a photo with Chinese youngsters at the presidential palace Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul May 17, 2009. Lee Myung-bak on Sunday met with a delegation of 20 youngsters from southwest China's Sichuan Province, which was seriously hit in the Wenchuan earthquake on May 12, 2008. [Ji Xinlong/Xinhua]

The children also performed traditional Chinese dances for Lee while officials from the Sichuan provincial government presented him with a folk painting during the meeting.

Lee was in China in May last year for a summit with Chinese President Hu Jintao three months after he took office in Seoul.

South Korea doled out millions of dollars and sent dozens of workers to aid the region's recovery from the 8.0-magnitude quake.

The May 12 earthquake, the deadliest in China in decades, razed large portions of Sichuan and surrounding provinces, leaving nearly 90,000 people dead or missing.

(Xinhua News Agency May 18, 2009)