Moon, Ivanka stress need for peace, but differ on N. Korea

South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Friday reiterated the need to maintain the ongoing mood of dialogue and reconciliation between his country and North Korea while Ivanka Trump, currently leading the US delegation to the closing of the PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games, stressed the need to continue putting maximum pressure on the Communist state.

The apparent difference between the two was displayed as the South Korean leader hosted US President Donald Trump's daughter and other US delegates for dinner at his office Cheong Wa Dae, Yonhap news agency reported.

"Active dialogue is being held between the South and the North amid Pyongyang's participation in the Olympics and this is greatly contributing to easing tension on the Korean Peninsula and improving the South-North relationship," Moon said, shortly after expressing gratitude for Trump's support for the Games.

"I believe this too was possible because President Trump strongly supports South-North Korean dialogue," he added.

Ivanka Trump thanked Moon and his wife, Kim Jung-sook, for their warm welcome and hospitality, but said her trip was partly aimed at reaffirming the allies' commitment to "maximum pressure" against the North.

"I thank you for hosting us all here tonight as we reaffirm our bonds of friendship, of cooperation, of partnership and reaffirm our commitment to our maximum pressure campaign to ensure that the Korean Peninsula is denuclearized," she said.

Seoul and Pyongyang held three rounds of talks in January that eventually led to the North's decision to take part in the ongoing Winter Olympic Games in South Korea.

Moon has repeatedly stressed the need to build on the recent rapprochement between the two Koreas so they may spur a resumption of negotiations with the Communist North to peacefully end its nuclear ambition.

Such negotiations require talks between Washington and Pyongyang, he had noted.

The White House earlier said Vice President Mike Pence was scheduled to meet North Korea's delegates to the opening ceremony of the PyeongChang Olympics in Seoul, but the North Koreans pulled out of the meeting at the last minute.

North Korea is sending another high-level delegation for the closing ceremony.

Ivanka Trump, who arrived here earlier in the day, apparently had no plans to meet North Koreans while here.

"We are very excited to attend the 2018 Winter Olympic Games to cheer for Team USA and to reaffirm our strong and enduring commitment with the people of the Republic of Korea," she told reporters after arriving at Seoul's Incheon International Airport. 

She currently serves as a special adviser to her father. - IANS