The keiki, outfitted in traditional Korean attire, were tapped to present bouquets to the president and his wife, Kwon Yang-suk, at a private reception for about 250 members of the Korean community, held at the Kahala Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

Their father, Peter Kim, heads the Korean American Foundation. "They were absolutely thrilled," Kim said of his children. "It's an experience for them to remember a lifetime."

Roh and his entourage, which included Han Seung-joo, ambassador to the United States, landed at 11:30 p.m. Sunday at Hickam Air Force Base. Plans for a welcoming ceremony were scaled back at the president's request, said Tech Sgt. Andrew Leonhard.

Adm. Thomas Fargo, the commander of the Pacific Command who originally was slated to be among the midnight greeters, did later meet the president for an extended discussion. The meeting at the hotel, slotted for about 30 minutes, stretched into an hour's talk.

"We had a chance to talk about a full range of regional issues, all the progress we've made in strengthening our alliance," Fargo said later. "We talked about the changes we're making in the (Korean) peninsula, which are very positive and will strengthen regional security." He did not disclose the specifics.

The U.S. military has thousands of troops stationed in South Korea, which falls under Fargo's command.

The two exchanged pleasantries while photographers snapped pictures before the closed-door session began. Speaking through an interpreter, Roh noted that this was their second meeting.

"As I recall, we first met last March in Korea," he said. "I'm very pleased to meet you again."

Roh expressed regret that the tight 16-hour schedule precluded a visit to the Pacific Command headquarters at Camp Smith. Fargo extended an invitation to visit at any time.

Roh had participated in the annual 21-nation Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Santiago, Chile, over the weekend before arriving at Hickam.

Officials at the Korean consulate in Honolulu said time constraints and a grueling schedule of meetings last week forced the cancellation of a planned excursion by Roh's wife to the McCully-Mo'ili'ili Library, where the Korean community had created a Korean-language collection.

The library visit would have been possible within the rigorous security parameters largely because the facility is closed to the public on Mondays.

The telltale signs of a presidential visit — special-services police officers with explosive-sniffing dogs, metal detectors where reception guests entered the Maile Ballroom — were everywhere.

Among the guests who arrived an hour in advance for the noon reception was Barbara Kim Stanton, who has served as a liaison between the city administration and the Korean community.

"This doesn't happen very often," Stanton said, glancing around at the animated crowd in front of the security gate. "He is the head of a country. The Korean community has always been very close to Korea. We do want to make sure that he (the president) sees there is a vibrant Korean community in Hawai'i that's concerned about Korean issues."

Peter Kim said the president and his guests nibbled from the pupu platters, with Roh making brief remarks.

Among the issues raised was the hope for a visa waiver for Koreans, something that Roh said he supports, Kim said.

The president's motorcade left the hotel a little after 2 p.m., he said. Between then and the 3:45 p.m. arrival planeside at Hickam, the party's route took them to the Windward side. The police escort brought the motorcade to Hickam via the H-3 and H-1 freeways, police said.

The detour was aimed partly at providing a secure route, said Dong-yern Kim, deputy consul general, but the sunny skies also made for a scenic drive.

Fargo and other military officials lined the tarmac for the farewell as the Pacific Fleet Band struck up the Korean classic "Arirang." The president and first lady greeted U.S. veterans of the Korean War before ascending the steps to the plane door, where Roh waved and bowed.

Meanwhile, Korean radio talk-show host Jennifer Kim hopes to see a photo depicting Roh wearing the new aloha shirt she presented as part of a gift package for the couple.

"He mentioned he really liked the aloha shirt," she said hopefully. "He said he will wear it at the beach and at the Blue House, which is the White House in Korea ... he will walk around and take pictures with the family."