Pence: ‘No daylight’ between U.S. allies opposing North Korea

Vice President Pence on Saturday said there is “no daylight” between the United States, South Korea and Japan on their views of North Korea.

Pence made the comments after a meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in. Pence was in South Korea for the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang. 

“There is no daylight between the United States, the Republic of Korea, and Japan on the need to continue to isolate North Korea economically and diplomatically until they abandon their nuclear ballistic missile program.”

Pence also said he was “encouraged” by the bilateral meeting with Moon.

The vice president, who led the U.S. delegation to the Olympics, commented on the meeting on a flight to Alaska from South Korea.

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In the days leading up to his visit, Pence condemned North Korea, calling it the most tyrannical regime in existence and vowing to shine a spotlight on the country’s oppression of its people, some of whom marched alongside their southern neighbors in the opening ceremony under a flag of a united Korean Peninsula. 

Pence refused to stand for the display of unity, and dodged North Korean officials at a meet and greet at the games. 

But North Koreans made an unprecedented move at the games, forwarding an invitation to Moon from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to a summit meeting at his earliest convenience, marking the first official diplomatic talks between the two Koreas in 10 years. 

On Friday, Pence said North Korea must “take concrete steps” to dismantle its nuclear program, saying “only then, will the world community consider negotiating” with them about lifting sanctions.

Pence previously vowed on Monday at a press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that the U.S. would soon unveil its “toughest” sanctions yet against North Korea.