Business urges Obama get off trade sidelines in Asia

(For a TAKE-A-LOOK on Obama and Asia click on [ID:nOBAMAASIA])

* Groups urge action on Korea pact, transpacific accord

* US "screwing itself" in Asia, policy expert says

By Doug Palmer and Paul Eckert

WASHINGTON, Nov 9 (Reuters) - U.S. business groups on Monday urged President Barack Obama to use his upcoming trip to Asia to join talks on a regional free trade initiative and to set the stage for long-delayed congressional approval of a free trade pact with South Korea.

"We are standing on the sidelines while Asian nations clinch new deals," Thomas Donohue, president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said in a statement.

"It's time to see action from Washington to expand trade with Asia in order to create jobs and avoid drawing a line down the middle of the Pacific," he said.

Obama heads to Asia on Thursday on a four-nation tour that begins in Japan before heading to Singapore for the annual summit meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum and finishing with stops in China and South Korea.

In a pre-trip interview with Reuters on Monday, Obama said boosting exports was a crucial part of his economic agenda.