Cheong Wa Dae was busy preparing for the visit by U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday, putting up Korean and U.S. flags along the streets near the presidential residence to greet Obama on his first visit since his inauguration.

President Lee Myung-bak cleared his diary on Wednesday to prepare for the summit and reportedly chose a gift for Obama himself -- an honorary taekwondo belt, a uniform embroidered with his name, and two books about Korean culture.

Obama has a green belt in taekwondo, practicing the martial art for four years in Chicago with a master from while serving in the Illinois state senate.

First lady Kim Yoon-ok reportedly prepared a Korean cookbook for her counterpart Michelle Obama, who is not accompanying her husband on the East Asian tour. For lunch on Thursday, there will be bulgogi (Korean-style barbecued beef), japchae (sautéed vegetables with potato noodles) and wine.

Both Korean and U.S. security will be responsible for escorting Obama, but the main responsibility will lie on the Korean Presidential Security Service. More than 13,000 military and police personnel were mobilized on the Korean side alone. Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Park Sun-kyoo said, "We will maintain the highest level of security out of all the other foreign heads of state who visited Korea."

The hotel where Obama is to stay during his stay in Seoul was reportedly rented whole by the U.S. The government put police around the hotel, and Cheong Wa Dae also prepared an emergency room at the National Medical Center.

Obama arrived at the U.S. Airbase in Osan, south of Seoul, unlike most other foreign heads of state who arrive through Seongnam Airport. Some 20 officials from the White House came to Seoul on Tuesday and visited Cheong Wa Dae to check the schedule.