Seoul ( CNN ) -- President Barack Obama arrives in South Korea on Friday looking to bolster ties with an ally at a moment when it 's reeling from a ferry disaster that killed 180 people at last count . Obama , as he often does at home as `` consoler-in-chief , '' will offer support to survivors and victims ' families as he pauses from the policy and diplomatic demands of his week-long trip to Asia . Last week , Obama called the disaster `` heartbreaking , '' a gesture that was noted and well received within the government in Seoul . The capsizing of the ferry Sewol carrying almost 500 people , including high school students on a field trip , has occupied most of South Korean President Park Guen-hye 's time over the past week . Park has confronted outcry from South Koreans who want answers on why the ferry turned over . A criminal investigation is underway . The ferry disaster will no doubt overshadow some part the original intent of Obama 's visit — to reinforce ties with a strong U.S. ally in the increasingly important Asia-Pacific region . United front against North Korea . Both countries want to display a united front against North Korea , which in recent days has stepped up activity at its main nuclear test site — possibly in preparation for another underground blast . The North Korean Foreign Ministry this week described Obama 's trip to Seoul as `` a reactionary and dangerous one as it is aimed to escalate confrontation and bring dark clouds of a nuclear arms race to hang over this unstable region . '' Obama , speaking Thursday , called on North Korea `` to start changing your behavior . '' `` They are the most isolated country in the world . They are subject to more international sanctions and international condemnation than any country in the world . As a consequence , their people suffer as much as any peoples in the world , '' he said . Aims to reassure Pacific allies . Obama headed to Seoul from Tokyo , where a formal state visit — complete with a royal audience and a black-tie dinner — was meant to exhibit strong ties between Japan and the United States . White House officials hope the week-long trip to Asia will reassure Pacific allies the U.S. remains committed to turning its foreign policy focus to them . But he has few tangible `` deliverables '' to take home . In Tokyo at a news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe , Obama was pressed on whether he would use military force to defend an obscure set of islands controlled by Japan that are at the heart of a heated regional dispute with China . He said the U.S. security pact with Japan does extend to the islands -- known as Diaoyu to the Chinese -- and insisted his implicit offer to defend them against any Chinese incursion did not amount to drawing a red line around the contested land . `` The treaty between the U.S. and Japan preceded my birth , so this is n't a red line that I 'm drawing , '' Obama said . `` There 's no shift in position , no red line . Were simply applying the treaty . '' Obama plays soccer with robot . The group of islands and rocks jutting out of the ocean is tiny and uninhabited . But the long-standing dispute over them has sent tempers flaring in Beijing and Tokyo , especially in recent years . The area around them in the South China Sea between Taiwan and Okinawa is believed to be rich in oil resources . Senkaku is administered by the Japanese , but the Chinese claim they are the rightful owners . The possibility of a war over the islands has been a thorn in the side of the United States , which says it is obligated by the common security agreement to back Japan . Obama repeatedly urged that Japan and China seek a peaceful resolution through dialogue . A pivot to Russia and Syria . In his second term , Obama has had limited success in issuing ultimatums in the hopes of halting aggression from nations like Russia and Syria . But he seized on the line of questioning over the islands to defend his handling of the crisis in Ukraine and Syria 's bloody civil war . Warning a new round of sanctions against Russia are `` teed up , '' the President said he doubts Moscow will honor its commitment last week in Geneva to deescalate tensions in eastern Ukraine . `` Do I think they are going to do that ? So far , the evidence does n't make me hopeful , '' Obama said at the news conference , acknowledging Russia has yet to reverse course in the face of mounting economic pressure . But on Syria , Obama said his policy of diplomacy first had a direct effect on the removal of 87 % of that country 's chemical weapons stockpiles . `` The fact that we did n't have to fire a missile to get that accomplished is not a failure to uphold those international norms -- it 's a success , '' Obama said . Asked if he was confident with Obama 's assurances on Japan 's security , Abe pointed to Obama 's leadership in rallying the G-7 economic powers to apply sanctions on Russia . The missing plane . Seoul is the first of two stops on Obama 's tour where citizens are coming to grips with major transportation disasters — on Saturday Obama flies to Malaysia , where government officials continue to search in vain for the Malaysian Airlines jetliner that disappeared more than a month ago . Those officials have come under withering censure , accused of botching the search and keeping family members of those on board in the dark . So far the White House has avoided faulting Malaysian leaders for the efforts , instead highlighting the U.S. efforts to help locate the plane . Obama has spoken publicly about the missing plane only once , during an interview in mid-March , offering U.S. assets to help in the search . Read Longtime rivals China and Japan deploy Harry Potter villain in latest spat . CNN 's Kevin Liptak and Serena Dong in Beijing contributed to this report .
President Obama to offer condolences to families of ferry victims . Capsizing of ferry that so far has killed 180 people will overshadow his visit to S. Korea . In Japan , Obama defended his foreign policy moves on Syria , Ukraine . Obama is on a week-long trip to Asia to reassure Pacific allies on several fronts .