Vice President Mike Pence’s efforts to keep North Korea from stealing the show at the Winter Olympics proved to be short-lived, quickly drowned out by the images of the two Koreas marching and competing together, as the South appeared to look favorably on warming ties on the Korean Peninsula.
Pence spent the days leading up to the games warning that the North was trying to “hijack the message and imagery of the Olympic Games” with its “propaganda.” But the North was still welcomed with open arms to what South Korean President Moon Jae-in called “Olympic games of peace” and the US appeared to be the one left out in the cold.
Moon was all smiles Saturday as he greeted Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, and Kim Yong Nam, the country’s 90-year-old nominal head of state, for lunch at the presidential residence. Kim Yo Jong offered an invitation from her brother for Moon to visit the North, in the strongest sign yet of an expanding diplomatic opening opposed by the US.
Pence said Friday that the US would oppose talks between the two Koreas until the North agreed to open negotiations on ending its nuclear program, and he was silent Saturday on the news of the invitation.
“The Vice-President is grateful that President Moon reaffirmed his strong commitment to the global maximum pressure campaign and for his support for continued sanctions,” Pence spokeswoman Alyssa Farah said when asked about the development.
Moon and Pence spoke Saturday while taking in the speedskating competition, but aides did not immediately say whether the invitation came up during the discussion.
At the opening ceremonies on Friday, Pence sat stone-faced in his seat as Moon and North Korean officials stood together with much of the stadium to applaud their joint team of athletes. White House officials stressed that Pence had applauded only for the American team, but Asia experts said the vice president’s refusal to stand could be seen as disrespectful to the hosts.
US officials have been urging South Korea to be cautious in its rapprochement with the North — a point Pence drilled home in private meetings with Moon on Thursday.
But North Korea’s terrible record on human rights and the growing threat from its nuclear weapons program appeared out of mind.
Even Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has shared the American skepticism of warming inter-Korean relations and pressed Moon against falling for the North's “smile diplomacy,” greeted Kim Yong Nam. Pence arrived late and stayed for just five minutes — and did not interact with the delegation from the North — at a Friday VIP reception for delegation leaders.