United States Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby is set to visit South Korea and Japan this weekend.

The Defense Department said in a press release Saturday that Colby will travel to the two countries to meet with defense and government officials as part of efforts to advance President Donald Trump's "peace through strength" agenda.

The department said the trip underscores the strategic importance of the Indo-Pacific region and the United States' alliances with South Korea and Japan.

During the visit, Colby is expected to brief officials on the Trump administration's newly released National Defense Strategy (NDS), unveiled a day earlier.

In the updated NDS, which follows the 2022 version, the department said South Korea is capable of assuming primary responsibility for deterring North Korea with critical but more limited U.S. support, urging Seoul to bolster its conventional deterrence capabilities.

The position has fueled expectations of potential changes to the size and composition of U.S. Forces Korea and is seen as adding momentum to South Korea's push for the transfer of wartime operational control from Washington.

Colby is also expected to discuss issues including Seoul's pursuit of nuclear-powered submarines and its commitment to increasing defense spending in line with Washington's call for greater burden sharing among allies.