Former South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and his former U.S. counterpart George W. Bush played a round of golf Thursday in South Korea.

    Bush was in South Korea to attend the opening ceremony of the Presidents Cup at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea here in Incheon, west of Seoul.

    Lee Jae-yong, the heir apparent of Samsung Group, joined the two former leaders on a different golf course in Incheon.

    Lee and Bush are reported to have developed close personal ties during their terms in office.

    Less than two months after his inauguration in February 2008, Lee visited Camp David, a presidential retreat on the outskirts of Washington, for a summit with Bush. They also rode on a golf cart there in front of photographers and television crews from the two nations. (Yonhap)