The Korean Embassy in Washington was found to have commissioned a U.S. lobbying firm named West Wing Writers to draft President Lee Myung-bak’s speeches during his visit to Washington last month.

According to data disclosed under a U.S. law, the embassy paid about $46,500 (51.8 million won) to the firm to write Lee’s speeches to the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, during the welcoming ceremony at the White House, the state dinner and a luncheon hosted by the U.S. State Department.

The Foreign Agents Registration Act, passed in 1938, requires that agents representing the interests of foreign powers be properly identified to the American public.

Cheong Wa Dae said the drafts by the U.S. agency were only a part of reference materials to complete the president’s final speeches.

The presidential office said it has not yet confirmed how much of the drafts by the U.S. firm were used for the actual speeches. Lee’s spokesman Park Jeong-ha said Monday he wasn’t sure if there was a need to disclose the drafts.

By Kim So-hyun (sophie@heraldcorp.com)