By Jia Cheng

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates has added Seoul as a quick stop during his upcoming trip to Asia in January, amid rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell explained the purpose of Gates' visit to Seoul, which will come after he visits Beijing and Tokyo, saying, "They will discuss North Korea's recent actions and consult on the way forward for the alliance to address the threats posed by North Korean provocations and its nuclear and missile programs," AFP reported.

Lü Chao, a researcher at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that the stopover in South Korea will serve two purposes. One is that it will put "diplomatic pressure on the North, since the US is a military ally of South Korea."

The other is that "the visit may have a positive effect on easing tensions between the two Koreas through the upcoming talks with China, which is pursuing a peaceful and stable Korean Peninsula."

According to a Xinhua report Monday, Gates is expected to visit Beijing between January 9 and 12. After that, he will drop in Japan for a two-day visit and fly to Seoul on January 14.

Mark Toner, director of press relations at the US State Department, said on the department's website that "We are going to continue to work with China to urge North Korea to live up to its commitments, to refrain from provocative actions and to act responsibly."

Yang Bojiang, an expert on Northeast Asia issues at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said Gates' Asia trip can be seen as a "symbol of restoring military ties" between China and the US.

Meanwhile, the Yonhap News Agency and JoongAng Daily reported Tuesday that Chinese authorities had expelled a South Korean Army major who was arrested last year and charged with collecting information on North Korea's nuclear programs and missiles. He was later found guilty by a Chinese court of espionage and sentenced to three years in prison.

Lü said, "the reports reflect the cooling relationship between China and South Korea. South Korea wants to advance negotiations on the issue by using the force of media, in order to promote ties with China."

Jiang Yu, a Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman, said at a regular press conference Tuesday that China and South Korea will work together to achieve peace and stability on the peninsula.

Agencies contributed to this story