United States Vice President Kamala Harris will visit the demilitarised zone (DMZ) separating the Koreas in a bid to show Washington's commitment to the South's security.
The visit, announced on Tuesday, comes days after North Korea fired a ballistic missile towards the sea and amid fears of a possible nuclear test as the Biden administration's attempts to reach out to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have failed.
South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo confirmed Harris's trip during a meeting with the US vice president in Tokyo.
The US vice president is in the region to lead a US presidential delegation to the funeral of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe.
"Nearly 70 years since the Korean Armistice, the visit will underscore the strength" of the alliance between Seoul and Washington "in the face of any threats posed" by North Korea, the US official said.
The official asked not to be named as Harris has not officially announced the trip.
Harris would tour the DMZ, meet with service members, receive an operational briefing from US commanders, reflect on the shared sacrifice of American and South Korean soldiers and reaffirm the "ironclad" commitment to South Korean security, the official said.
"Your visit to the DMZ and Seoul will be very symbolic demonstrations of your strong commitments to security and peace on the Korean Peninsula," Han said.
Foreign dignitaries visiting the region often make a trip to the heavily fortified DMZ separating the two Koreas.
Former US presidents and before he became president, Biden himself, have visited the DMZ.
Former President Donald Trump became the first to meet a North Korean leader there when he held a third meeting with Kim in June 2019 as part of his unsuccessful effort to persuade Kim to give up his nuclear and missile programs.
The DMZ is often described as the world's last Cold War frontier and has existed since the 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty.
Australian Associated Press
