THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: Pence raises prospect of talks with North Korea while applying ‘maximum pressure’

The United States has appear to endorse post-Olympic engagement between North and South Korea that could lead to direct U.S. talks, but has agreed with Seoul that sanctions must be intensified to push Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons.

Vice President Mike Pence said in a newspaper interview that Washington and Seoul had agreed, in discussions on the sidelines of the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, on the basic terms to guide future diplomatic contacts with North Korea.

Pence also said Washington would step up its “maximum pressure campaign” against Pyongyang but at the same time would be open to talks without pre-conditions.

Source: Reuters