Pence: ‘Toughest sanctions yet against North Korea are on their way’

Clearly unconvinced by the orchestrated spirit of Olympic détente between the Koreas, US vice-president Mike Pence announced on 7 February that the United States would soon be unveiling ‘the toughest and most aggressive round of economic sanctions on North Korea ever,’ and would continue to be isolating North Korea ‘until it abandons its nuclear and ballistic missile program once and for all.’

Speaking in Tokyo alongside Japan’s prime minister Shinzō Abe, Pence reminded his audience that in the past, the United States, Japan and others had responded to Pyongyang’s actions with ‘failed diplomacy,’ the result of which had been ‘a cycle of broken promises, wilful deception, and escalating provocations.’

North and South Korea, he said, would be marching under the same banner at the Winter Olympics but, he pointed out, this had happened before:

‘The world witnessed it at the Olympics in 2000 and in 2004, and the Winter Olympics in 2006, only to see North Korea continue its pursuit of threats and provocations. In fact, North Korea tested its first nuclear weapon only eight months after the conclusion of the 2006 Winter Olympics.’

He was looking forward, he said, to leading the United States delegation to the Winter Olympics:

‘We’ll be there to cheer on our American athletes, but we’ll also be there to stand with our allies and remind the world that North Korea is the most tyrannical and oppressive regime on the planet,’ he said.

North Korea has reportedly said that it will not be engaging with US officials during the Olympic period.

In related news, Russia’s Tass news agency has reported that despite exemptions enshrined in UN resolutions, ‘exports of Russian coal via the North Korean port of Rajin have been discontinued,’ citing ‘intimidation by the Americans.’