Defense officials from Asian and Western countries will open a security conference in Singapore on Friday. They are expected to discuss North Korea, which may conduct a second launch of what it calls a reconnaissance satellite after a failed attempt on Wednesday.

The three-day Shangri-La Dialogue will bring together Japanese Defense Minister Hamada Yasukazu, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu among other officials.

The meeting comes after North Korea notified Japan on Monday it would launch what it called an artificial satellite sometime between Wednesday and June 11. Japanese officials suspect Pyongyang may launch a ballistic missile during that period under the guise of putting a satellite into orbit.

Ukrainian defense minister Oleksii Reznikov plans to join the gathering to appeal for additional aid for his country's campaign to repel the Russian invasion. He is also expected to seek closer ties with Asian countries.

The meeting's agenda is also likely to include issues related to the South China Sea and the South Pacific, where Beijing is trying to step up its influence.

But the US and China remain at odds. A Pentagon spokesperson said on Monday that China had declined an invitation from the US for their defense chiefs to meet on the sidelines of the conference.