Biden to travel to South Korea and Japan in May

US President Joe Biden will travel to South Korea and Japan in May, the White House announced Wednesday, paying a visit to two of Washington's main Asian allies.

During the May 20-24 trip, Biden will meet the leaders of the two countries with the aim of advancing his "administration's rocksolid commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and to US treaty alliances with the Republic of Korea and Japan," Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement.

In Tokyo, Biden will also meet with the leaders of the Quad grouping which additionally includes Australia, Japan and India.

The visit also comes after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has test-fired a slew of banned weapons this year while ignoring US offers of talks and vowing to accelerate his nuclear program rapidly.

During Biden's bilateral meetings with newly elected South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio he will "discuss opportunities to deepen our vital security relationships, enhance economic ties, and expand our close cooperation to deliver practical results," Psaki said.

The visit will come after a US-ASEAN special summit of South Asian leaders in Washington from May 12-13. General Motors lifted its 2022 net income forecast Tuesday following a mixed quarter as it benefitted from strong consumer demand amid high vehicle prices despite lingering supply chain problems.

The big US automaker now sees 2022 net profit of between $9.6 billion and $11.2 billion, up slightly from the prior range. Net income in the first quarter dipped 3pc to $2.9b on an 11pc jump in revenue to $36b. -AP