U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates will visit South Korea next week.

Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell announced Thursday that Gates will visit South Korea for two days starting Wednesday of next week to cochair the 41st annual Security Consultative Meeting with South Korean Defense Minister Kim Tae-young.

Morrell said that during the meeting, Gates will reinforce U.S. commitment to both the South Korea-U.S. alliance and South Korea's defense in the wake of North Korea's recent missile launches.

Ahead of his visit to Seoul, Gates is scheduled to stop off in Japan to discuss key defense issues, including North Korea’s nuclear standoff.