Vice President Mike Pence was set to meet with North Korean officials while visiting South Korea for the 2018 Olympic Games, but it was canceled at the last minute by the North Koreans, U.S. officials revealed Tuesday.
Heather Nauert, a spokeswoman for the State Department, said the vice president was set to have a brief meeting with with North Korean officials, where he planned to discuss dismantling their nuclear program, however, they backed out at “the last minute.”
“At the last minute, #DPRK officials decided not to go forward with the meeting. We regret their failure to seize this opportunity,” Nauret tweeted. “We will not apologize for American values, for calling attention to human rights abuses, or for mourning a young American’s unjust death.”
At the last minute, #DPRK officials decided not to go forward with the meeting. We regret their failure to seize this opportunity. We will not apologize for American values, for calling attention to human rights abuses, or for mourning a young American’s unjust death.
— Heather Nauert (@statedeptspox) February 21, 2018
She continued: “We will not allow North Korea’s attendance at the Winter Olympics to conceal the true nature of the regime and the need for the world to remain united in the face of its illicit weapons programs. #DPRK”
We will not allow North Korea’s attendance at the Winter Olympics to conceal the true nature of the regime and the need for the world to remain united in the face of its illicit weapons programs. #DPRK
— Heather Nauert (@statedeptspox) February 21, 2018
According to officials from the vice president’s office who spoke to the Washington Post, they were set to meet with Kim Jong Un’s younger sister, Kim Yo Jong, and the country’s head of state, Kim Yong Nam, on Feb. 10th. However, the North Koreans reportedly pulled out just two hours before the meeting to avoid using “the world stage to call attention” to their actions.
Korean Central News Agency, the hermit kingdom’s state-controlled media agency, claimed that Pence was “abusing the sacred Olympics for confrontational ruckus” and suggested that he better “stop behaving imprudently” on Saturday.
Pence made headlines during his appearance at the Olympics for his cold demeanor toward Kim Yo Jong during the opening ceremony, where they sat closely together but did not exchange formalities.
