Obama Speaks to Troops at Osan Air Base in South Korea

Full video:

Speechwriter on Obama's Speech to Osan Troops

Jon Favreau:

Obama's Press Conference With South Korean President Lee

Obama says as a fan of Korean BBQ, he's looking forward to lunch. Full video

Obama's welcome to S. Korea:

Obama Tours Forbidden City

BEIJING — Millions of people come here to look at the delights of the Forbidden City. Now add President Obama to that list.

Mr. Obama, his hands jammed into the pockets of his distressed brown leather jacket to ward off the frigid Beijing temperatures, took a moment out of his day of meetings to check out the storied old residence of China’s former imperial leaders.

Situated just behind Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City was called “forbidden” because normal people weren’t allowed in, the better to conceal how well the rulers were living. Apparently there is now a new “forbidden city,” where China’s present leaders live, and normal people don’t go in there much either.

But we digress. Mr. Obama arrived around 2:15, and was escorted by the Forbidden City Museum director, Zheng Xinmiao, and a cast of, well, a lot of people: the senior advisers David Axelrod and Valerie Jarrett, and the White House spokesman Robert Gibbs. NYT

I'll post video when it's available. Watch a Chinese reporter talk about Obama's visit here.
Obama's schedule for today and tomorrow and next up, South Korea:

On November 17, Obama will hold a bilateral with Hu, followed by a joint press conference, after which he will sightsee in Beijing. There will be a state dinner that night.

On November 18, Obama will hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, and do more sightseeing, before traveling to South Korea.

November 18-19 - SEOUL

Obama arrives in Seoul the night of November 18. The morning of the 19th, he holds a bilateral meeting with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, after which the two will hold a press conference.

Obama will then meet with U.S. troops stationed in Korea, before leaving on his trip back to the United States, where he is scheduled to arrive early on November 20. Reuters

Where U.S. and China agree and disagree. Gibbs says it best:

Meanwhile, Dick Cheney is blustering about how Obama shouldn't be bowing. I can't believe that showing respect and to our allies is even being discussed. Those with REAL power and might don't have to belittle others. But Dick wouldn't know anything about that. His ego is so large that he can't see how he helped bring the nation to tatters. If I were him, I'd do a little soul searching. But noooooo. Then Liz Cheney has to taunt everyone with the suggestion that her father might run for president and worse, it could be a Cheney Palin ticket. I'm sure she was mostly jesting but the thought of that makes me nauseous.

Obama Travels to Asia Nov. 13-19

Obama will travel first to Japan, Nov. 13-14, then to Singapore, Nov. 14-15, China, Nov. 15-18, South Korea, Nov. 18-19. He'll give a speech (see details below) in Tokyo on Nov. 14:

President Barack Obama will travel to Asia from November 13 -19 to strengthen U.S. cooperation with this growing center of global power. A long list of issues crowds the U.S. policy agenda in the region: security, economic, environment, and energy among others.

Denuclearization of North Korea, China's holding of U.S. debt, the realignment of U.S. security forces in Japan, and international agreements on trade and climate change may pose challenges to the president as he tours the region.

For the president's first stop, in Tokyo, CFR's Senior Fellow for Japan Studies Sheila Smith lays out an agenda for revitalizing the U.S. relationship with a new Japanese government. Southeast Asia Fellow Joshua Kurlantzick stresses the need for greater trade liberalization at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Singapore.

CFR's Director of Asia Studies Elizabeth Economy advises Obama to listen to a range of Chinese voices beyond those of Communist party leaders while he's in China, and CFR's Scott Snyder says regional security issues as well as coordination of response to the global financial crisis will be on the Seoul agenda.

Ahead of the president's trip, a new Council Special Report urges the administration to play a more strategic role in the changing landscape of Asian multilateral organizations. It also calls for the United States to have more vigorous economic engagement with the region. More at CFR

Detailed travel schedule:

NOV. 12 - Obama leaves Washington, and stops in Alaska to meet with troops at Elmendorf Air Force Base.

November 13-14 - TOKYO

Obama arrives in Tokyo on November 13, and holds a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama at about 7 p.m. local time (5 a.m. EST), followed by a joint press conference.

On November 14, Obama will make a major speech at Suntory Hall in Tokyo at 10 a.m. local time, in which he will discuss his view of U.S. engagement in Asia and reaffirm the strength of Washington's alliance with Japan.

Later in the day, Obama will meet with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko.

NOV 14-15 - SINGAPORE

Obama travels to Singapore the evening of November 14.

On November 15, he will hold a bilateral meeting with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and then go to the leaders meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.

At about 2 p.m. local time the same day, Obama will hold a bilateral meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, and then hold what the White House says is the first meeting between a U.S. president and all 10 leaders of the 10 Southeast Asian countries that make up ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Finally on November 15, Obama will hold a bilateral meeting with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

November 15-18 - SHANGHAI and BEIJING

Obama travels to Shanghai the evening of November 15.

On Monday, November 16, he will meet with the city's mayor, and then hold an event in which he will have a dialogue with Chinese youth, speaking to them, taking questions and hearing directly from them. He travel to Beijing Monday evening, and will have dinner with President Hu Jintao.

On November 17, Obama will hold a bilateral with Hu, followed by a joint press conference, after which he will sightsee in Beijing. There will be a state dinner that night.

On November 18, Obama will hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, and do more sightseeing, before traveling to South Korea.

November 18-19 - SEOUL

Obama arrives in Seoul the night of November 18. The morning of the 19th, he holds a bilateral meeting with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, after which the two will hold a press conference.

Obama will then meet with U.S. troops stationed in Korea, before leaving on his trip back to the United States, where he is scheduled to arrive early on November 20. Reuters

Obama Confers With South Korean President

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Lee, leaving South Korea at around 09:00 a.m. local time (0000 GMT), will have a summit with President Obama on Tuesday to discuss over cooperative plans for denuclearizing the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and inspecting the conditions of the South Korea-U.S. combined defense.

In particular, the two leaders are to jointly adopt a statement entitled "The Joint Vision for the Republic of Korea (ROK)-U.S. alliance" in a move to strengthen the South Korea-U.S. alliance.

Issues related to the South Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA), awaiting ratification by both countries' parliamentary bodies, the ongoing global financial crisis, and industrial technology alliance will also be dealt in detail during the summit, local media reported. Xinhua

Obama Meets With South Korea's President To Talk North Korea

North Korea is about to blast off a satellite between April 4-8. Obama met with South Korean president Lee Myung-Bak today to discuss:

The two leaders met at the ExCel Center, where the G-20 summit is being held. Thursday's all-day opening session is aimed at finalizing the summit's main goal -- a statement of unity by of heads of state in managing the global financial crisis.

Senior White House officials said Obama and Lee discussed the missile test that North Korea is expected to launch any day now, despite repeated protests by the United States, Japan and South Korea and disapproval from Russia and China.

While the reclusive North Korean government says the missile test is part of a peaceful research effort to put a communications satellite into orbit, experts outside the country say it is an effort to try out long-range missiles that could eventually be armed with nuclear warheads.

Obama expressed admiration for Lee's "calm resolve" as North Korea has prepared the launch and hurled invective at its neighbors, the senior official said. Obama told Lee North Korea "will not be able to drive a wedge between the U.S. and South Korea" and said a launch would be a violation of Security Council resolutions. Read the rest at WaPo