World

Biden to visit Japan, South Korea in May

By AAP Newswire

Apr 28, 2022

Scott Morrison and US President Joe Biden at a Quad meeting. — Joe Biden will meet with members of the Quad alliance, which includes Australia, while in Asia. -AP

US President Joe Biden will visit South Korea and Japan in late May, for a tour that will including a meeting with the leaders from the Quad security alliance.

Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content

The visit, set for May 20-24, will "further deepen ties between our governments, economies and people", White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement.

Biden is to hold bilateral talks with South Korea's newly elected president, Yoon Suk-yeol, and Japan's Prime Minister Kishida Fumio.

"The leaders will discuss opportunities to deepen our vital security relationships, enhance economic ties, and expand our close co-operation to deliver practical results," Psaki said.

She said the trip would advance the Biden administration's "rock-solid commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific" as well as Washington's alliances with South Korea and Japan.

Biden is also scheduled to meet with the leaders of the Quad grouping of Australia, Japan, India, and the United States while in Tokyo.

The group of four, also known as Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, was formed in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, and formalised in 2007.

The first-ever in-person Quad leaders summit was held in Washington in September.