WASHINGTON: US Vice President Mike Pence was set to meet with North Korean officials during the Winter Olympics in South Korea but the North Koreans pulled out at the last moment, White House confirms.
In what would have been the first official meeting between North Korea and the Trump administration, Mr Pence was scheduled to meet Kim Jong-Un’s sister, Kim Yo-jong and others.
“At the last minute, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) officials decided not to go forward with the meeting. We regret their failure to seize this opportunity,” said State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert.
The North Koreas pulled out after the US Vice President condemned human rights abuses in North Korea and announced additional economic sanctions on the country. There were concerns that Pyongyang was using the games in order to improve its international image.
“This administration will stand in the way of Kim’s desire to whitewash their murderous regime with nice photo-ops at the Olympics. Perhaps that’s why they walked away from a meeting or perhaps they were never sincere about sitting down,” said Pence’s Chief of Staff Nick Ayers.
Mr Pence was seated within an earshot of Kim Yo-Jong but did not speak with her. “I didn’t avoid the dictator’s sister, but I did ignore her. I didn’t believe it was proper for the United States of America to give her any attention in that forum,” he said last week.
The US has warned against softening the stance on North Korea’s nuclear programme and human rights violations.
North Korea did not officially react to claims made by Washington.