President Joe Biden will arrive in South Korea on Friday evening, his first trip to Asia as President. His six-day trip starts in South Korea on Friday and ends in Japan.

Biden is scheduled to meet new President Yoon Suk-yeol, for the first time in person. The two will tour a Samsung Electronics plant together on Friday ahead of a full day of events on Saturday.

Biden and Yoon may quickly move from formalities to dealing with a weighty issue with North Korea at the top of the agenda. Leader Kim Jong Un abandoned a freeze on intercontinental ballistic missile testing and appears poised to resume testing of nuclear bombs, perhaps while Biden is in the region.

Relations between Japan and South Korea have been at their worst in decades because of disputes over wartime history and trade. Bidens visit could act as a as a possible interlocutor who could help bring them closer together backed by the willingness of the two new leaders to settle differences.

Japan fears the Russian invasion of Ukraine that began in February could embolden China to seize territories in the Pacific, a big reason why better relations with South Korea are desired.

Biden is also scheduled to participate in the second in-person Quad Summit, in Japan on Tuesday, to reaffirm commitment for a free and open Indo-Pacific region. The Quad is a partnership composed of the U.S., Australia, India and Japan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also meet US President Joe Biden on May 24.

While he's in Tokyo, US President will also launch a new economic initiative for the region: the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework.
-Reuters/AP