U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates will discuss Pyongyang's nuclear and missile tests with his counterparts of Japan and South Korea on Saturday in Singapore, the Pentagon said on Tuesday, according to Xinhua.
Gates, Japan's Yasukazu Hamada and South Korea's Lee Sang-Hee will hold their first trilateral meeting, which is planned as part of an annual security forum participated by of defense ministers from countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
"Undoubtedly, developments in North Korea over the weekend will be a focus of that conversation," said Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell.
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired at least two short-range missiles on Tuesday, a day after it "successfully conducted one more underground nuclear test," which was said demonstrating "self-defensive nuclear deterrent."
Both Japan and South Korea view a nuclear-armed DPRK the major threat to their security.
During his phone talks Monday evening with Japan's Prime Minister Taro Aso and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, President Barack Obama said the United States has "unequivocal commitment" to its allies' security and to maintaining peace and security in Northeast Asia.
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