U.S. reveals North Korea cancelled meeting with Pence at last minute
- 6 years ago
We start with the meeting that never happened...
The United States has confirmed that Vice President Mike Pence was set to meet with North Korean officials during his recent visit to South Korea for the opening of the Winter Olympics.
That was before the regime pulled out, seemingly upset by the Trump administration's continued hardline stance.
Kwon Jang-ho reports.
North Korea 'dangled' a meeting in front of U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, before it was cancelled last minute after Pence refused to soften his tone on the regime -- that's how the vice president's Chief of Staff Nick Ayers described the meeting that could-have-been.
Ayers, speaking to the Washington Post on Tuesday, revealed that the CIA had received word of North Korea's interest in holding a meeting during the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, and that preparations began following President Trump's approval and ahead of the Pence's trip to Asia.
The vice president was given a remit to convey the sincerity of Washington's hardline stance, although not to open any negotiations.
But only two hours before their scheduled meeting time on the 10th of February, the day after the opening ceremony of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, the North Korean delegation called to cancel.
They reportedly expressed dissatisfaction over Pence's announcement a few days prior that new sanctions were being planned on Pyongyang.
The North Korean delegation also showed disapproval of a meeting between the vice president and North Korean defectors, as well as Fred Warmbier, the father of the U.S. student who died last year shortly after being released from 17 months of detention in the North.
Throughout his trip to Asia, Pence repeatedly said he would fight against the North's attempts to, quote, 'hi-jack' the Olympics with its propaganda.
A state department spokesperson confirmed the report, saying that although the administration regrets the North's failure to seize this opportunity, Washington will not apologize for calling attention to the regime's human rights abuses.
The vice president's office also said Seoul tried to assist by providing the Blue House as a neutral location for the meeting, but the South Korean top office has declined to comment.
It had been hoped that North Korea's involvement in the PyeongChang Winter Olympics would open the road for dialogue with the U.S. as well as South Korea.
But the revelation of this failed meeting shows that there is still a long way to go, before all sides are ready to sit at the negotiation table.
Kwon Jang-ho, Arirang News.
The United States has confirmed that Vice President Mike Pence was set to meet with North Korean officials during his recent visit to South Korea for the opening of the Winter Olympics.
That was before the regime pulled out, seemingly upset by the Trump administration's continued hardline stance.
Kwon Jang-ho reports.
North Korea 'dangled' a meeting in front of U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, before it was cancelled last minute after Pence refused to soften his tone on the regime -- that's how the vice president's Chief of Staff Nick Ayers described the meeting that could-have-been.
Ayers, speaking to the Washington Post on Tuesday, revealed that the CIA had received word of North Korea's interest in holding a meeting during the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, and that preparations began following President Trump's approval and ahead of the Pence's trip to Asia.
The vice president was given a remit to convey the sincerity of Washington's hardline stance, although not to open any negotiations.
But only two hours before their scheduled meeting time on the 10th of February, the day after the opening ceremony of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, the North Korean delegation called to cancel.
They reportedly expressed dissatisfaction over Pence's announcement a few days prior that new sanctions were being planned on Pyongyang.
The North Korean delegation also showed disapproval of a meeting between the vice president and North Korean defectors, as well as Fred Warmbier, the father of the U.S. student who died last year shortly after being released from 17 months of detention in the North.
Throughout his trip to Asia, Pence repeatedly said he would fight against the North's attempts to, quote, 'hi-jack' the Olympics with its propaganda.
A state department spokesperson confirmed the report, saying that although the administration regrets the North's failure to seize this opportunity, Washington will not apologize for calling attention to the regime's human rights abuses.
The vice president's office also said Seoul tried to assist by providing the Blue House as a neutral location for the meeting, but the South Korean top office has declined to comment.
It had been hoped that North Korea's involvement in the PyeongChang Winter Olympics would open the road for dialogue with the U.S. as well as South Korea.
But the revelation of this failed meeting shows that there is still a long way to go, before all sides are ready to sit at the negotiation table.
Kwon Jang-ho, Arirang News.