SEOUL - South Korea's foreign minister is set to visit Japan next week on his first trip to the neighbor since taking office last October, his ministry said Friday.

Kim Sung-hwan will make a two-day trip starting next Wednesday at the invitation of his Japanese counterpart Seiji Maehara, who will sit down with Kim on the same day for talks over bilateral relations and issues related to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), according to the foreign ministry here.

The top diplomat will also meet with key government figures and officials at Japan's ruling Democratic Party, the ministry said.