US defence chief adds S Korea to China, Japan trip

Washington: US Defence Secretary Robert
Gates will make a brief stop in Seoul when he travels next month to China and Japan, the Pentagon has said.

"Secretary Gates has added a brief stop in the
Republic of Korea to his upcoming trip to Asia," Pentagon
spokesman Geoff Morrell said in a statement yesterday.
Morrell said that after visiting China and Japan,
Gates would meet with his South Korean counterpart in Seoul on
January 14, for talks centered on recent events in North
Korea.
"They will discuss North Korea`s recent actions and
consult on the way forward for the alliance to address the
threats posed by North Korean provocations and its nuclear and
missile programs," Morrell said.

PTI