Pence: Maximum Pressure Until North Korea Shows ‘Credible, Verifiable, and Concrete Steps Toward Denuclearization’

Vice President Mike Pence is reaffirming United States’ unrelenting commitment to exercise maximum pressure on North Korea until the regime produces “credible verifiable, and concrete steps toward denuclearization.”

In a tweet issued on Tuesday, Pence wrote:

My statement on North Korea: pic.twitter.com/l3yoUcLrRf

— Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) March 6, 2018

During a Wednesday afternoon event in Council Bluffs, Iowa to promote the Trump administration tax cuts, Pence delved into the issue of dealing with North Korea. He reiterated the administration’s message that, with respect to the Kim regime, “the era of strategic patience is over, that all options are on the table, and that [the United States] will continue to bring economic and diplomatic pressure to bear until the regime in Pyongyang abandons their nuclear ambitions.”

Pence referenced reports that North Korea may be moving toward talking about denuclearization. He quoted a stern message from President Donald Trump to North Korea and the world, “The U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction” on North Korea.

“Whichever direction talks with North Korea go, the United States and our allies, I can assure you, will continue to apply maximum pressure to the Kim regime until we see North Korea take credible and concrete steps towards denuclearization,” said Pence.

Whichever direction talks with North Korea go, the United States and our allies will continue to apply MAXIMUM PRESSURE on the Kim regime until we see North Korea take credible and concrete steps toward denuclearization. We will remain firm in our resolve. pic.twitter.com/smHZxLowbO

— Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) March 7, 2018

The crowd applauded Pence as he promised that the U.S. “will remain firm in our resolve, and we will continue to stand strong until North Korea abandons their nuclear program once and for all.”

Trump welcomed reports on Tuesday of possible progress with the North Korean regime, but cautioned that the regime did not move toward denuclearization after similar comments to prior U.S. administrations.

Despite the positive reports of progress with North Korea, the country’s state media continued to decry U.S. sanctions on the regime as “despicable” and “gangster-like.” One went so far as to report that the U.S. “cannot escape doom.”

Follow Michelle Moons on Twitter @MichelleDiana