South Korean Defense Minister Kim Tae- young and U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates are expected to meet later this week on the sidelines of the Asia Security Summit in Singapore to discuss the recent sinking of a South Korean warship, local media reported Monday.

During the summit, also known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, the two defense chiefs will discuss on June 4 potential military responses to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) for sinking a South Korean warship and killing 46 sailors in late March, Seoul's semi-official Yonhap News Agency reported citing unnamed sources.

A multinational probe concluded earlier this month that the DPRK was behind the sinking of the South Korean corvette Cheonan, with Seoul and Washington calling on Pyongyang, which has denied any involvement in the naval disaster, to stop military provocation.

Kim and Gates will also discuss enhancing alliance, and there will be a trilateral meeting including the Japanese defense chief to discuss the same issue, according to Yonhap.