North Korea's presence at the Winter Olympics has led to worries that the regime is trying to weaken the Seoul-Washington alliance.<br />But U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has reaffirmed that the alliance is stronger than ever.<br />And U.S. officials say that pressure on the regime will remain until Pyongyang takes steps toward denuclearization.<br />Park Soyun reports. <br /> With the high-ranking delegations from both the U.S. and North Korea having returned to their home countries,... the question now is whether North Korea's Olympic charm offensive could possibly drive a wedge between South Korea and its allies,... and weaken international solidarity in pressuring the Kim Jong-un regime. <br /><br /> U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis... said it is *too early to tell whether a diplomatic detente between South and North Korea at the Winter Games would lead to any real results,... adding that the move had not driven a wedge between Seoul and Washington.<br /><br /> "Clearly it's too early to say if,... using the Olympics in a way to reduce tensions,... if that's going to have any traction once the Olympics are over, we can't say that right now." <br /><br /> And officials in Washington reportedly told Voice of America that pressure on the regime would be reduced,... once North Korea moves towards a process of denuclearization. <br />U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, who had visited South Korea for the opening of the Winter Games,... was confident about the strategy of pressuring the Kim Jong-un regime.<br /> He said there is no daylight between South Korea, the U.S., and Japan,... on the need to continue isolating North Korea, economically and diplomatically-- until the North abandons its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.<br />And if the current measures aren't enough,... there's also a possibility that the U.S. will enforce a strict maritime interdiction,... and potentially a naval blockade to fully enforce sanctions on the regime,... as early as this month.<br /> If realized,... it will deal a huge blow to the North Korean economy,... already crippled by the series of sanctions imposed by the international community. <br />Park Soyun, Arirang News. <br />
