The defense chiefs of South Korea and the United States will meet in Seoul next week to discuss coordination of North Korea policies and pending alliance issues.

The defense ministry announced on Friday, minister Lee Jong-sup and U.S. Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, will hold talks on Tuesday, which will be followed by a joint press conference.

An official from the ministry said coordinating policies on North Korea and strengthening the enforcement of extended U.S. deterrence are expected to top the agenda.

During his visit, the U.S. defense chief is set to check up on the allies' preparations for next month's Deterrence Strategy Committee Table Top Exercise(DSC TTX) based on a scenario preempting the North's nuclear use.

The allies may also discuss ways to further strengthen their trilateral cooperation with Japan, such as real-time sharing of information regarding North Korean missile warnings.

Austin is scheduled to depart for the Philippines on Sunday, before arriving in South Korea on Monday.