South Korean President Moon Jae-in (Photo: AFP/VNA)

The meeting came amid what the South Korean leader has called a rare and hard-earned opportunity for dialogue with North Korea created by the North's participation in the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea. The North Korean delegation includes Kim Yong Nam, parliamentary leader, and Kim Yo Jong, an influential sister of leader Kim Jong Un.

The United States' firm stance and close alliance with South Korea contributed to North Korea's participation in the South-North Korea dialogue and the Olympic Games, Moon said, adding that they will work to seize this opportunity and bring North Korea to the dialogue table for denuclearization and the establishment of peace. Moon noted that Pence's trip to South Korea as head of the official US delegation to PyeongChang has once again demonstrated the strength of the alliance.
Pence said the US will continue to put maximum pressure on the North, insisting that "permanent and irreversible" denuclearization of North Korea is the most important objective of the alliance.