President Trump's new Secretary of Defense, Mark Esper, will be leaving Friday on a tour of the Asia-Pacific region that'll take him to Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Mongolia and South Korea.
While in Seoul, Esper is scheduled to meet for the first time with the South Korean Defense Minister.
Top officials will be reviewing the security of the Korean Peninsula and reaffirming the defense relationship between Seoul and Washington.
They are also expected to start negotiations to renew their cost-sharing deal, known as the Special Measures Agreement, which expires at the end of the year.