彭斯重申對韓國的支持

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said in a meeting Thursday with South Korean President Moon Jae-in that Washington would "bring maximum pressure to bear on North Korea" until they abandon their nuclear weapons program.

Meeting with Moon at the Blue House in Seoul, Pence reaffirmed to longtime ally South Korea the U.S. commitment to economically and diplomatically isolate North Korea in order to achieve the goal of a denuclearized Korean Peninsula.

Early Friday, Pence traveled to the South Korean Navy's 2nd Fleet Command in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, to visit a memorial for the South Korean warship Cheonan, which was torpedoed by the North. Nearly 50 sailors aboard the Cheonan were killed.

The vice president is also scheduled to meet with some North Korean defectors while in Pyeongtaek.

Later Friday, Pence will lead a U.S. delegation to the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.

Moon said South Korea is viewing hosting the Olympics as a way to improve diplomatic relations with North Korea. He has referred to the games as the "Olympic Games of peace."美國副總統彭斯星期四與韓國總統文在寅會談的時候說，美國將向朝鮮施加最大的壓力，直到它放棄核武器計劃。

彭斯副總統在首爾青瓦臺與文在寅總統會見的時候向美國的長期盟友再次強調，爲了實現朝鮮半島無核化的目標，美國致力於在經濟上和外交上孤立朝鮮。

彭斯星期五早些時候前往首爾以南70公里的平澤，到韓國海軍第二艦隊司令部所在地參觀韓國天安號軍艦紀念館。天安號軍艦被朝鮮的魚雷擊沉，艦上將近50人喪生。

彭斯還定於在平澤會見一些從朝鮮逃到韓國的人。

之後，他將率領美國代表團參加在韓國平昌舉行的冬季奧林匹克運動會。

文在寅說，韓國把主辦冬奧會視爲改善與朝鮮外交關係的渠道。他稱冬奧會爲“和平奧運會”。