[indiscernible conversation]

[indiscernible conversation]

in the nodes are: after his -- t to the dnc, >> afterwards, a news conference was held to talk about bilateral communications. this is 25 minutes. [speaking foreign language] >> good afternoon, first of all, i would like to full heartedly welcome vice president pence on his first visit to korea.

[speaking korean] translator: vice president pence's late father was a korean war veteran that dedicated himself to our freedom and democracy during the war. this morning, vice president pence visited the demilitarized zone to inspect our posture. this symbolizes not only as special personal time but also the depths and sturdiness of our alliance that has lasted over 60 years.

foreignking language] translator: in particular at this time, when the security on the korean peninsula is dire. due to north korea's nuclear missile provocations. vice presidents visit shows the stance of the new administration . as such, i believe that vice president pence's visit is

timely and meaningful. kyo-ahn: [speaking foreign language] translator: today, the vice president and i shared the view that through cooperation and collaboration, the u.s. alliance has grown into a indispensable linchpin for a successful strategic alliance that will allow us to resolve global challenges. we have reconfirmed our

unwavering will to continue to make our alliance even stronger. hwang: [speaking foreign language]

translator: 10 days ago, on april 10, i spoke with president trump about ways to work together going forward. today, with vice president pence, we understand the gravity and urgency of north korea's missile threat. we will double our threats to further tighten the global pressure on north korea. we will thoroughly implement sanctions on the unwavering principle of denying north korea their weapons. foreign[speaking language]

translator: furthermore, under the shared view that these rules are critical. we will closely strengthen our cooperation with china if north korea commits another provocation, we will implement measures punitive based on our cooperation with china. [speaking foreign language] translator: at the same time, it in response to north korea continually abandoning the missile threat, we will continue to pursue various measures to strengthen our defense capabilities and posture.

to include extended deterrence. we have also agreed to further strengthen the posture of the u.s. alliance in response to north korea's growing threat. by ensuring the early deployment. foreignhwang: [speaking language] translator: in this respect, i appreciate the united states taking a clear position on various provocations including

at the u.s.-china summit. we have agreed to continue to work together so that these actions may come to an end. furthermore, we fully share the view that in resolving such issues, the watertight collaboration between our two countries is of the utmost importance. and that all future policies and measures will be made between seamless cooperation and determination.

furthermore, as global partners we have agreed to work together to resolve global issues. it is truly meaningful that close cooperation and collaboration that continues to develop the new administration. i'm confident that this will serve as another meaningful occasion for the further development of the rock u.s. alliance. thank you. vice president pence: good afternoon.

to the acting president, thank you for your kind words. thank you for the hospitality you have shown me and my family and welcoming us to the republic of korea. my very first stop in the asian-pacific as vice president of the united states. it is a great honor for me to be in south korea. i bring greetings from the president of the united states, president donald trump, on his behalf, i'm here to express the unwavering support of the united states for our long-standing alliance. president trump and i are grateful for your strong partnership with the united states, we commend you personally for your steady hand in this time of transition in south korea. the president and our entire administration admire the south korean people's commitment to

the rule of law and the democratic process and we look forward to the upcoming election with great anticipation. while changes coming on the people of south korea may be assured, whatever change happens in your elections, the commitment of the united states to south korea's safety and security will remain unchanged. [speaking foreign language]

vice president pence: on behalf of the president of the united states, my message to the people of south korea is we are with you 100%. the united states of america stands shoulder to shoulder with the republic of korea. and the service and vigilance of some 37,500 u.s. soldiers, onlors, airmen, and marines

the frontier of freedom stands as a testament to the enduring partnership between our people. the alliance between south korea and the united states is the linchpin of peace and security on the korean peninsula and indeed throughout the asian-pacific. the united states commitment to south korea is ironclad. and immutable. and, under president trump's leadership, i know our alliance will be even stronger, our nations will be safer and the asian-pacific will be more secure. [speaking foreign language]

v.p. pence: nowhere is that more evident than our commitment to fight the biggest threat, the regime in north korea. since 1992, the united states denuclearizea north korea. we hope to achieve this objective through peaceful means but all options are on the table. just in the past two weeks, the

world witnessed the strength and resolve of our new president in actions taken in syria and afghanistan. north korea would do well not to test his resolve. we will continue to deploy the defense system as a measure. we will continue to evolve a comprehensive set of capabilities to ensure the security of south korea. as our secretary of defense made clear here in south korea, we will defeat any attack and we will meet any use of conventional or nuclear weapons with an overwhelming and effective response. foreignor: [speaking language]

v.p. pence: strategic patience has been the approach of the last american administration and beyond.

for more than two decades, the united states and our allies have worked to peacefully dismantle north korea's nuclear program and alleviate the suffering of their people. every step of the way, north korea entered us with willful deception, broken promises. they even conducted a failed missile launch as i travel here to this visit. the era of strategic patience is over. [speaking foreign language]

v.p. pence: earlier this month, president trump spoke with you, acting president hwang, to reaffirm the strength of our alliance. we will continue to closely consult with south korea and your leadership as we make decisions moving forward. we also call on other regional powers and the entire international community to join

us in the fight against north korea. to turn away from the renewed hostility and you and the oppression of its own people. translator: [speaking foregin language] v.p. pence: earlier this month, president trump met with chinese president xi. the two leaders noted the threat of north korea's weapon programs.

each of them reaffirmed their commitment. they will fully implement security council resolutions and increased cooperation to convince north korea to abandon its illicit weapons program. it is heartening to see china commit to these actions. the united states is troubled by china's economic retaliation against south korea to take appropriate steps to defend itself. the better path would be to address the threat that is actually making such defensive measures necessary. now, while issues like that remain, the president and i have great confidence that china will with north korea.

if china is unable to deal with north korea, the united states and our allies will. v.p. pence: today, it is my

privilege on behalf of president trump to reaffirm the united states' enduring commitment to the prosperity of south korea and to assure the people of south korea of our bond. a free and democratic south korea was forged in the fires of sacrifice of soldiers from both of our lands. my father was one of them. 65 years ago, lt. pence of the 45th infantry division fought alongside brav