The U.S. navy chief will visit South Korea later this month for meetings with the country's new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, his counterpart and other military officials, his office said Wednesday.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson will travel together with Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Mike Stevens on a trip that will begin with a stop in Hawaii on Monday and will also take them to Japan, the Philippines, Bahrain and Italy, the office said.

It did not provide details of the itinerary.

In South Korea, Richardson will hold meetings with officials from the Defense Ministry, new JCS Chairman Army Gen. Lee Sun-jin and Navy chief Jung Ho-sup to "strengthen their shared alliance and reaffirm commitment to security in the Asia-Pacific region," it said. (Yonhap)