U.S. officials say Seoul-Washington alliance is solid despite N. Korea's Olympics charm offensive
- 6 years ago
North Korea's presence at the Winter Olympics has led to worries that the regime is trying to weaken the Seoul-Washington alliance.
But U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has reaffirmed that the alliance is stronger than ever.
And U.S. officials say that pressure on the regime will remain until Pyongyang takes steps toward denuclearization.
Park Soyun reports.
With the high-ranking delegations from both the U.S. and North Korea having returned to their home countries,... the question now is whether North Korea's Olympic charm offensive could possibly drive a wedge between South Korea and its allies,... and weaken international solidarity in pressuring the Kim Jong-un regime.
U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis... said it is *too early to tell whether a diplomatic detente between South and North Korea at the Winter Games would lead to any real results,... adding that the move had not driven a wedge between Seoul and Washington.
"Clearly it's too early to say if,... using the Olympics in a way to reduce tensions,... if that's going to have any traction once the Olympics are over, we can't say that right now."
And officials in Washington reportedly told Voice of America that pressure on the regime would be reduced,... once North Korea moves towards a process of denuclearization.
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, who had visited South Korea for the opening of the Winter Games,... was confident about the strategy of pressuring the Kim Jong-un regime.
He said there is no daylight between South Korea, the U.S., and Japan,... on the need to continue isolating North Korea, economically and diplomatically-- until the North abandons its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
And if the current measures aren't enough,... there's also a possibility that the U.S. will enforce a strict maritime interdiction,... and potentially a naval blockade to fully enforce sanctions on the regime,... as early as this month.
If realized,... it will deal a huge blow to the North Korean economy,... already crippled by the series of sanctions imposed by the international community.
Park Soyun, Arirang News.
But U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has reaffirmed that the alliance is stronger than ever.
And U.S. officials say that pressure on the regime will remain until Pyongyang takes steps toward denuclearization.
Park Soyun reports.
With the high-ranking delegations from both the U.S. and North Korea having returned to their home countries,... the question now is whether North Korea's Olympic charm offensive could possibly drive a wedge between South Korea and its allies,... and weaken international solidarity in pressuring the Kim Jong-un regime.
U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis... said it is *too early to tell whether a diplomatic detente between South and North Korea at the Winter Games would lead to any real results,... adding that the move had not driven a wedge between Seoul and Washington.
"Clearly it's too early to say if,... using the Olympics in a way to reduce tensions,... if that's going to have any traction once the Olympics are over, we can't say that right now."
And officials in Washington reportedly told Voice of America that pressure on the regime would be reduced,... once North Korea moves towards a process of denuclearization.
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, who had visited South Korea for the opening of the Winter Games,... was confident about the strategy of pressuring the Kim Jong-un regime.
He said there is no daylight between South Korea, the U.S., and Japan,... on the need to continue isolating North Korea, economically and diplomatically-- until the North abandons its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
And if the current measures aren't enough,... there's also a possibility that the U.S. will enforce a strict maritime interdiction,... and potentially a naval blockade to fully enforce sanctions on the regime,... as early as this month.
If realized,... it will deal a huge blow to the North Korean economy,... already crippled by the series of sanctions imposed by the international community.
Park Soyun, Arirang News.