US President Joe Biden has arrived in South Korea, the first stop in a five-day Asian tour that will also bring him to Japan.

Biden's presidential aircraft landed at an air force base near Seoul on Friday. He is visiting Asia for the first time since taking office last year.

Later in the day, Biden is due to inspect a Samsung Electronics plant. The company holds a major share of the global semiconductor market.

Biden is expected to call for cooperation with South Korea to strengthen supply chains. The president apparently has an eye on China, which he has called the United States' biggest competitor.

On Saturday, Biden is due to hold his first summit talks with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, whose administration was inaugurated last week.

They are likely to discuss North Korea's recent moves to step up its nuclear and missile development, and confirm US-South Korean cooperation in dealing with the matter.

White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters on board the presidential plane that the North may conduct its seventh nuclear test or a missile launch during Biden's trip.

Sullivan warned that such a provocation would "cause adjustments to the way that our military is postured in the region," hinting at a buildup of forces to keep Pyongyang in check.