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Mike Pence sat just feet away from Kim Jong Un’s sister at the Olympics opening ceremony
Vox ^ | 02/09/2018 | Alex Ward

Posted on 02/09/2018 11:33:50 AM PST by SeekAndFind

North Korea and the United States just made history during the 2018 Winter Olympics — and it was awkward.

At the Olympics opening ceremonies in Pyeongchang, South Korea, on Friday, Vice President Mike Pence sat mere feet away from Kim Yo Jong, the sister and trusted adviser of none other than North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.

That’s remarkable for a few reasons. First, Kim is the first member of North Korea’s ruling family to enter South Korea since the end of the Korean War in 1953. It was already a huge deal that she would attend, as it possibly signals thawing tensions between the two Koreas.

And second, US and North Korean officials this high up the food chain rarely if ever get this close to one another — let alone in the midst of a tense nuclear standoff of the kind we’ve seen over the past several months.

So to have Pence and Kim sitting just a few feet away from each other — at one of the world’s most high-profile events, no less — is noteworthy. That said, there’s currently no indication that Pence and Kim exchanged any pleasantries on the balcony.

Check out the photo below: That’s Kim Yo Jong on the far left, and Pence is just one row in front of her and four seats to the right. Also in the photo are South Korean President Moon Jae-in (bottom left in the white coat) and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (bottom right, next to Pence) — both close US allies whose countries are in the direct crosshairs of North Korea.

(Excerpt) Read more at vox.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: kimjongun; mikepence; northkorea; olympics
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1 posted on 02/09/2018 11:33:50 AM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

Not to worry.

“Mother” Pence was right there to make sure there was no hanky-panky.


2 posted on 02/09/2018 11:36:00 AM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
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To: SeekAndFind

No big deal, unless she’s carrying a nerve-gas poison pen.


3 posted on 02/09/2018 11:36:44 AM PST by rfp1234 (I have already previewed this composition.)
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To: SeekAndFind

She hasn’t defected yet?


4 posted on 02/09/2018 11:37:06 AM PST by CivilWarBrewing (Get off my back for my usage of CAPS, especially you snowflake males! MAN UP!)
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To: BenLurkin

One thing is certain — he won’t dine with her alone :)


5 posted on 02/09/2018 11:38:43 AM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

lol true. And it seems we’re becoming too pacifistic when it comes to North Korea. The establishment types are becoming entrenched now.


6 posted on 02/09/2018 11:40:53 AM PST by bjcoop
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To: SeekAndFind

Why does the author assume it was “awkward”?


7 posted on 02/09/2018 11:42:43 AM PST by Not A Snowbird (A year in Arizona... and I haven't burst into flames yet.)
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To: SeekAndFind

And the left are all aghast that he didn’t shake hands with any of the reps from NK.
They’d probably be in an uproar even if he did ... they’d probably be calling him a traitor.


8 posted on 02/09/2018 11:44:00 AM PST by al_c (LIBERAL - Laughable Iconsiderate Blaming Entitled Ranting Anti-christian Loudmouth)
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To: al_c

RE: And the left are all aghast that he didn’t shake hands with any of the reps from NK.

Watch what she has in her hands if you do that....


9 posted on 02/09/2018 11:45:16 AM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: bjcoop

What exactly do you propose?


10 posted on 02/09/2018 11:46:18 AM PST by bigdaddy45
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To: SeekAndFind

The press is all drooling over the sis and completely misses the real story.

The old man sitting next to Kim Yo-jong (Kim Jong-il’s sister) was not identified.

He is Kim Yong-nam, the President of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly of North Korea, the “nominal head of state” of North Korea.

He anchors the Kim family and his presence is far more important than Kim Jong-il’s sister.

This is the first time that a member of the old school Kim family, an original Clan of Baekdu bloodline member has ever been to SK.


11 posted on 02/09/2018 11:52:05 AM PST by gandalftb
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To: SeekAndFind

“So to have Pence and Kim sitting just a few feet away from each other — at one of the world’s most high-profile events, no less — is noteworthy.”

The only ‘noteworthy’ aspect is to find out the thinking of whomever assigned the seats in the dignitary seating section. For this type of even, political notable don’t just sit where they want, they sit where their assigned seats are located. Thus I see this as a ‘nothing-burger’ story.


12 posted on 02/09/2018 11:55:03 AM PST by GreyFriar (Spearhead - 3rd Armored Division 75-78 & 83-87)
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To: gandalftb

The guy sitting to the left of Pence looks like Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.


13 posted on 02/09/2018 11:58:12 AM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: rfp1234

the guy in front of her must have asked to borrow that pen...


14 posted on 02/09/2018 12:01:33 PM PST by teeman8r (Armageddon won't be pretty, but it's not like it's the end of the world.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Correct.


15 posted on 02/09/2018 12:02:28 PM PST by gandalftb
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To: SandyInSeattle

“Why does the author assume it was “awkward”?”

They are actually nowhere near each other.

While literally true, the story is fake news.


16 posted on 02/09/2018 12:03:22 PM PST by ltc8k6
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To: GreyFriar

The fact that our Vice President and his wife were front row and Li’l Missy Kim and her partner were not will draw notice among Asian observers.


17 posted on 02/09/2018 12:12:03 PM PST by katana
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To: katana

Also in the front, sitting next to Pence, is the Japanese PM.


18 posted on 02/09/2018 12:13:51 PM PST by katana
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To: SeekAndFind

Obviously collusion.


19 posted on 02/09/2018 12:14:51 PM PST by CrazyIvan (A gentleman arms himself for the protection of others.)
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To: CivilWarBrewing

She hasn’t defected yet?

><

She probably has 10 “body guards” that insure that she doesn’t.


20 posted on 02/09/2018 12:15:52 PM PST by laplata (Liberals/Progressives have diseased minds.)
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