Published : Feb. 26, 2018 - 09:40
WASHINGTON -- Ivanka Trump has had no interaction with North Korean officials during her visit to South Korea, a White House official said Sunday amid keen interest in whether the two sides will resume dialogue.
Ivanka, daughter and adviser to US President Donald Trump, led the US delegation to the closing ceremony of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics the same day. She was seated close to the North Korean delegation, led by senior ruling party official Kim Yong-chol.
Shortly before the ceremony, Kim told South Korean President Moon Jae-in that Pyongyang is open to talks with Washington, according to Seoul's presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae.
"There was no interaction with the North Korean delegation," the senior White House official said in a statement, speaking on condition of anonymity. "The US Presidential delegation's attendance at the closing ceremonies was the culmination of a successful trip where we celebrated the Olympic Games, US athletes and our strong alliance with South Korea."
This photo shows South Korean President Moon Jae-in, Kim Jung-sook, White House senior adviser Ivanka Trump (front, 3rd L) and North Korean ruling party official Kim Yong-chol (back, R) at the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea, on Feb. 25. (Yonhap)
The US and North Korea have been in a standoff over the communist regime's pursuit of nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles capable of striking the American mainland. The first daughter's trip raised the possibility the two sides could meet to begin a dialogue on the issue.
US Vice President Mike Pence, who led the US delegation to the opening ceremony earlier this month, was scheduled to meet with a separate North Korean delegation that included the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. But the North Koreans pulled out at the last minute, according to Washington.
The White House earlier said Ivanka Trump had no plans to meet with North Korean officials or defectors during her trip. Pence, on the other hand, met with a group of defectors in South Korea to highlight human rights abuses by the Pyongyang regime. That, in part, is believed to have led to the North Koreans' cancellation of their meeting with the vice president.
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement the US "will see if Pyongyang's message today, that it is willing to hold talks, represents the first steps along the path to denuclearization."
She added, "In the meantime, the United States and the world must continue to make clear that North Korea's nuclear and missile programs are a dead end."
Ivanka is scheduled to depart South Korea Monday morning, local time, and return to Washington Monday morning, local time.
She and the rest of the delegation congratulated Moon and first lady Kim Jung-sook on "an incredible Olympic Games and applauded throughout the ceremonies including for the US and South Korean athletes," the senior White House official said.
The comment comes after Pence drew criticism for being stone-faced and staying seated when the two Koreas' athletes marched together at the opening ceremony. (Yonhap)