U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday said that the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement will solidify bilateral relations.

Obama made the remarks at the White House where he received credentials from the Korean Ambassador to the U.S. Han Duk-soo. He was also quoted by the Korean Embassy in Washington as adding that the FTA with Korea, the U.S.'s seventh largest trading partner, will promote prosperity for both countries.

During the Korea-U.S. summit held on the sidelines of the G20 financial summit in London in April, Obama also expressed his strong intention to push for the bilateral FTA, however, it still remains to be seen whether there will be any progress in detailed talks between the two countries.