Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday called on countries around the world to pressure North Korea into giving up its nuclear and ballistic arsenals, and brushed off North Korea’s objections to that message during his trip to Asia.
Channeling POTUS, @VP Pence in Japan tells @DanaBashCNN its time for N. Korea to "behave," dismantle nuclear program https://t.co/v6i8i9jfq3— New Day (@NewDay) April 18, 2017
When asked on CNN to react to a North Korean official who said President Trump’s more aggressive stance toward the Kim regime could lead to thermonuclear war, Pence said he’s glad that North Korea is hearing what he’s saying.
“It’s time for Kim Jong Un and his country to come into the world community and get rid of their nuclear weapons,” he said.
“My presence here … is really to deliver that message that we’ve really moved beyond the era of strategic patience, we’ve moved beyond the failed dialogues of the past,” Pence said, “And now we’ve moved into an era when President Trump is absolutely committed to marshaling the energy of the world community, in countries in the Asian pacific, to use economic and diplomatic power to isolate North Korea and achieve a goal of a denuclearized Korean peninsula.”
Pence visited the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea during his trip this week and has continued the administration’s tough talk toward the regime. He said Kim’s reaction to his trip shows the right message is coming across.
“It’s encouraging that they’re getting the message and my hope is that they’ll continue to get the message,” he said.
He added, “The time has really come for North Korea to get the message. As the president says, it’s time for them to behave.”
