by Itunuoluwa Adebo
United States VP Mike Pence will travel to South Korea on Sunday in what his aides say is a sign of the U.S. commitment to its ally in the wake of rising tensions over North Korea’s nuclear program.
The Seoul stop kicks off a long-planned 10-day trip to Asia which is his first as vice president, and comes amid concerns that Pyongyang could soon conduct its sixth nuclear test. President Trump has warned against further provocations, sending an aircraft carrier group to the region as a show of force. His officials have been assessing tougher economic sanctions as well as military options to curb North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.
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The VP will be celebrating Easter with U.S. and Korean troops on Sunday before talks on Monday with acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn.
“We’re going to consult with the Republic of Korea on North Korea’s efforts to advance its ballistic missile and its nuclear program,” a White House foreign policy adviser told reporters, previewing Pence’s trip.
Pence lands in Seoul the day after North Korea’s biggest national day, the “Day of the Sun. And should it coincide with another North Korean nuclear test, the White House has contingency plans in place.
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