US VICE President Mike Pence has repeated a threat to invade North Korea if Kim Jong-un’s hermit state attacks America with nuclear weapons, it has been revealed.
The US politician has said that America, South Korea and Japan are all fully agreed on isolating North Korea over its nuclear weapons programme, despite the two Koreas appearing to strengthen diplomatic ties at the Winter Olympics.
Mr Pence said: "There is no daylight between the United States, the Republic of Korea and Japan on the need to continue to isolate North Korea economically and diplomatically until they abandon their nuclear and ballistic missile program.”
He made the remarks to reporters during a flight to the US following his visit to South Korea, where the Winter Olympics are currently being held.
A senior administration official also said that Mr Pence and South Korean President Moon Jae-in discussed intensifying sanctions while watching speed skating together on Saturday night.
However, the official said that Mr Pence and Mr Moon did not discuss the North Koreans' invitation to the South Korean leader for a summit in Pyongyang, which would set the stage for the first meeting of Korean leaders in 10 years.
Mr Pence did say Mr Moon shared with him details of his meeting with North Korean leaders, but the US Vice President did not elaborate further.
The US Vice President’s words have come after South and North Koreans marched together under a unified flag at the Winter Olympics’ opening ceremony.
International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said moment was "very emotional" and gave him "goosebumps”.
However, North Korea used a military parade on the eve of the Pyeongchang games to show off its latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which Pyongyang claims has the range to target the entire mainland USA as well as Britain.
In a massive show of force ahead of the iconic sporting event, the Kim regime rolled out the Hwasong-15 rockets and their mobile launchers alongside some 13,000 troops.
The rogue state says the weapon is its “most powerful” to date, and experts believe the ICBM has a range of around 8,077 miles (13,000km).
Donald Trump also said "all options remain on the table" to ensure North Korea abides by international calls to give up its nuclear development programme.
Speaking to NBC News the US Vice President added: "President Trump and our allies in the region have agreed to delay our military exercises until after the Olympics and President Moon has appreciated that.
"But we are going to continue to put all the pressure to bear economically and diplomatically while preserving all our military options."
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