President Moon Jae-in on Thursday met top US and Chinese officials and called for close collaboration on the North Korean nuclear issue.

In the meeting with US Vice President Mike Pence Thursday evening that went on longer than scheduled, Moon said that his presence is a reaffirmation of the strength of the South Korea-US alliance, and said that Washington’s unwavering position on North Korea contributed to inter-Korean talks. 

“We will use this opportunity to the full to bring North Korea to dialogue on denuclearization and to establish peace,” Moon said. 

The North Korean delegation is led by Kim Yong-nam, the North’s nominal head of state, and includes North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s sister Kim Yo-jong.

Pence reiterated the US position on North Korea as he did following his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday.

At the meeting with Moon, Pence said that denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is the most important issue in Seoul-Washington relations, and that the US “stands shoulder to shoulder” with South Korea.

Pence also said that the US will apply “maximum pressure” until Pyongyang’s nuclear program is “irreversibly” dismantled.

Pence had appeared to be open to possible engagement before landing in Japan on Tuesday, but the US vice president took a much harsher tone following his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. After the meeting, Pence stated that the US will “unveil the toughest and most aggressive round of economic sanctions” on North Korea, and that his country will “continue to isolate North Korea until it abandons its nuclear and ballistic missile programs once and for all.”

Earlier in the day, Moon met with China’s Politburo Standing Committee member Han Zheng, and urged Beijing to aid his efforts to bring about Washington-Pyongyang dialogue.

“North Korea is actively engaging in inter-Korean dialogue on the occasion of the Olympics. This dialogue must connect to the issue of peaceful denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” Moon was quoted as saying by spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom.

“(I) urge the Chinese government to take a bigger role to facilitate inter-Korean talks leading to US-North Korea talks.”

Han, who leads China’s high-level delegation to the PyeongChang Olympics, echoed Moon on the necessity of US-North Korea talks.

“The key to the Korean Peninsula’s political situation is in the hands of the US and North Korea. South Korea and China must share the goal of the US and North Korea engaging in direct talks,” Han was quoted as saying by Seoul’s presidential spokesman.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)