SEOUL: Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman of the United States will visit South Korea next week amid mounting fears that North Korea will conduct a nuclear test shortly.  Sherman's visit to Seoul will be part of a four-nation trip that will take her to the Philippines, Vietnam, and Laos from June 5 to 14, according to the State Department.

"Deputy Secretary Sherman will meet with ROK leaders in Seoul, including Foreign Minister Park Jin, Unification Minister Kwon Young-se, and First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong," the Department said in a statement late Friday. "The Deputy Secretary will also meet with top women startup entrepreneurs to discuss the importance of women's leadership and economic development, as well as meet with LGBTQI+ civil society leaders to highlight the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion and honour Pride Month," it added.

In Seoul, Sherman will meet with her South Korean counterpart, Cho, and Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Mori for a trilateral meeting.  According to the Department of State, the three will "explore how the United States, the Republic of Korea, and Japan can continue to work together for the benefit of the region and the globe to confront the key issues of the twenty-first century."  

The trip comes after 17 rounds of North Korean missile launches this year, each of which the US has condemned as serious violations of several UN Security Council resolutions and a threat to regional peace and stability.

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