OSAN AIR BASE (South Korea) – U.S. Vice President Joe Biden arrived Friday in South Korea as part of his Asia tour.

Biden received Park Jin (South Korean foreign minister) and Paul LaCamera (commanding general U.S. forces, Korea), at Osan U.S. base.

Biden met with South Korean President Yoon Sukyel Friday afternoon at a Samsung Electronics OTC: plant. This was ahead of a busy Saturday.

It will be their first ever meeting. Yoon was inaugurated on May 10th and has pledged to strengthen ties with Washington.

Biden will give assurances to the South Korean President that America will strengthen deterrence to North Korean threats. The alliance has been in place for decades and can be expanded to deal with other matters.

Biden is also expected to highlight the importance of countering China’s presence in the region.