South Korean President Park Geun-hye arrived in New York on the first stop of a visit to the United States that will culminate in a summit with US President Barack Obama expected focus on how to deal with North Korea.

The White House summit, scheduled for Tuesday, could also take up contentious bilateral issues as well, such as Seoul's demand for the right to reprocess spent nuclear fuel, and set the tone for how the alliance between the two countries will fare for years to come.

Park first stopped in New York for a meeting with South Korean residents here set for later in the day and talks on Monday with South Korean-born UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. She will then head to Washington for a summit with Obama and a speech at a joint session of Congress.