Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
North Korea plays nice, Pence stands firm
PYEONGCHANG, South
Korea — North Korea’s Kim Jong Un has asked South Korea’s president to join him in Pyongyang for talks, a departure for a belligerent leader more used to issuing threats than invitations.
Moon Jae-in must now walk a fine diplomatic line to encourage North Korea’s new interest in dialogue without straying too far from the “maximum pressure” approach championed by the United States, South Korea’s military ally.
Moon tried to keep both Pyongyang and Washington happy Saturday when he received the invitation from Kim Yo Jong, the North Korean leader’s younger sister and close aide, during a meeting at the presidential Blue House in Seoul.
Moon responded in a noncommittal way, saying that he wanted to “create the environment for that to be able to happen.” He also encouraged North Korea to “actively pursue” dialogue with the United States.
In a stark illustration of his efforts to pull in Pyongyang without pushing away Washington, Moon watched short-track speedskating with Vice President Mike Pence at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics on Saturday.
Then Moon went to the women’s ice hockey match with the North Korean delegation, including Kim Yo Jong. The two Koreas had combined teams and played simply as “Korea,” wearing uniforms emblazoned with blue-and-white flags showing an undivided peninsula.
Pence had arrived in South Korea for the opening of the Olympics with a clear intention to isolate North Korea. He repeatedly called Kim Jong Un’s regime “the most tyrannical” on Earth and studiously avoided talking to or even acknowledging the North Korean delegation, even when they sat just feet apart in the VIP box at the opening ceremony.
Shortly after leaving Pyeongchang, Pence told reporters on Air Force Two that he had set out on the trip “to express American resolve regarding North Korea.”
“I was encouraged by the affirmation of our alliance and our common purpose, from both (Japanese) Prime Minister (Shinzo) Abe and President Moon,” Pence said. “I leave this trip encouraged that we will continue to work very closely to continue and intensify the maximum pressure campaign that is underway against the regime in Pyongyang.”
The vice president said that, while they were at the speedskating event, Moon talked about his meeting with the North Koreans earlier in the day.
Pence said he and Moon reiterated to each other “that we will continue to stand strong and work in a coordinated way.”
Asked if Moon’s desire to visit Pyongyang undermined Pence’s trip or detracted from his message, a senior administration official said: “No, I don’t think it does in the least.”
Pence insisted “there is no daylight” among the United States, South Korea and Japan in intensifying pressure on the North over its nuclear and missile programs.