Washington, Jan 4 (NationPress) U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is preparing for a trip to South Korea aimed at reaffirming America's ironclad partnership with the Asian nation, as confirmed by the State Department.

This will mark the first visit to Seoul by a high-ranking U.S. official since President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed martial law attempt last month, as reported by the U.S. State Department on Friday.

Blinken's itinerary includes a visit to Seoul, alongside travels to Japan and France, as stated by Matthew Miller, the spokesperson for the department. This trip across the three nations is scheduled from Friday to Thursday, according to Yonhap news agency.

Seoul's foreign ministry has announced that Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul will engage in discussions with Blinken in Seoul on Monday.

"In the ROK, Secretary Blinken will engage with senior ROK government officials to reaffirm the ironclad U.S.-ROK Alliance and explore avenues for enhancing our vital cooperation on global challenges rooted in our shared values," Miller articulated in a statement. ROK refers to South Korea's official title, the Republic of Korea.

"The Secretary will also deliberate on methods to bolster joint U.S. and ROK initiatives aimed at fostering a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific, along with trilateral collaborations with Japan," he added.

The bilateral discussions are taking place against a backdrop of ongoing apprehensions that South Korea's political instability stemming from Yoon's brief martial law enforcement and subsequent impeachment could jeopardize collaboration between Seoul and Washington amidst North Korea's advancing military threats.

In light of these concerns, both Seoul and Washington have agreed to fully reinstate bilateral diplomatic and security engagements that were postponed following Yoon's martial law endeavor.

In Japan, Blinken intends to meet with prominent Tokyo officials to review the advancements in the U.S.-Japan alliance over recent years and to reaffirm the alliance's significance in tackling bilateral, regional, and global matters, according to Miller.

In France, the Secretary will confer with high-ranking French officials as part of the bilateral partnership aimed at addressing challenges in Europe, the Middle East, and beyond, as stated by the spokesperson.