Mike Pence, US Vice President concluded his six-day tour on Saturday. The objective of the tour was to explain to US key allies on the transgressions of North Korea and pressure it into stopping its nuclear program. Trump stated in his State of the Union address that North Korea’s nuclear program is a threat to America and its allies. Therefore, besides using military force, the American government will devise strategies that would pressure the North into abandoning its nuclear agenda.
North Korea has already tested a number of nuclear missiles with the capability of reaching the US. A move that has threatened the US and its allies. Mike Pence last visited South Korea where some North Korean officials attended the Winter Olympic Games. Pence’s objective in the South was to prevent the North from getting any attention especially with its ally – South Korea.
Acoustics to the South Korea Visit
South Korea hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics participated by a joint North and South Korean team. Pence, on the other hand, reiterated that the North may try to hijack the message and imagery to imply that they were in good faith with the South and that they are willing for closed talks with the South. Pence had also told reporters before beginning his tour that he did not rule out the possibility of meeting up with some top North Korean officials while at the games.
The North was welcomed with open arms as Moon Jae-in, President of South Korea met with the North Korean delegation. This is a move that the US did not expect from the South. Although Moon had indicated his warmness by referring to the games as the “Olympic games of peace,” it was still surprising to the American delegation led by Pence.
Some scenes at the games may have been awkward for the American delegation. Kim Jong-un’s sister, Kim Yo Jong extended an invitation to Moon to visit North Korea an indication of an open diplomatic relation between the Koreas as opposed by the US. Moon was also all smiles when he greeted Kim Yo Jong and Kim Yong Nam, the North’s nominal head of state. He invited them for lunch at the presidential residence.
The US appeared to be left out in the cold but a meeting between Moon and Pence solidified the US-South Korea ties on matters to deal with the imminent North Korea nuclear threat. Pence and Moon agreed to stand strong and work together in a coordinated way to bring maximum diplomatic and economic pressures against North Korea. Pence insists that there is still no daylight for North Korea despite its showmanship with the South while at the winter games.
