The four day trip from March 4 to March 8 will be Ban's first visit to Washington and Tokyo since he was appointed foreign minister last month and will fall shortly after a second round of six-nation nuclear crisis talks in Beijing, scheduled to open of February 25.

An inconclusive first round bringing together the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the United States took place in the Chinese capital in August last year.

In Washington, Ban will meet with US Secretary of State Colin Powell and other senior officials. In Tokyo, he will hold talks with counterpart Yoriko Kawaguchi.

Veteran diplomat Ban was appointed to replace Yoon Young-Kwan as foreign minister on January 16 in a foreign policy shake-up following a widely publicised dispute over policy towards the United States.

Yoon was one of several senior foreign ministry officials forced to step down or reassigned after ministry officials reportedly said left-leaning advisers in the presidential Blue House were pro-North Korean and anti-US.

Ban, 59, a seasoned career diplomat, had served as vice foreign minister before working as top foreign policy advisor for President Roh Moo-Hyun.

"The talks in Washington and Tokyo will focus on the nuclear issue and also cover areas of bilateral concern," a foreign ministry official said.

WAR.WIRE