North Korea to hold military parade ahead of Winter Olympics

Nevertheless, according to state news agency KCNA, the North has no intention of meeting USA officials during the Games - but did not rule it out either. The two countries will enter the ceremony together this year, and they are fielding a women's hockey team medal competition with athletes from both countries.

North Korea staged a military parade in Pyongyang Thursday, one day before the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics in rival South Korea.

President Moon Jae-in on Thursday met top USA and Chinese officials and called for close collaboration on the North Korean nuclear issue.

South Korean media have been speculating on whether Kim Jong Un will send a personal message to Mr Moon through his sister and, if so, whether it would include a proposal for a summit between the Koreas.

North Korea was officially welcomed at the Olympic athlete's village on Thursday, and South Korean President Moon Jae-in plans to host members of the North's delegation - including the sister of Kim Jong Un - for lunch over the weekend. Notably, Kim Yo-Jong is a senior member of the ruling Workers' Party in North Korea.

North Korea announced last month a new "world-level" tourist project in the divided province that appeared to be aimed at capitalising on the worldwide attention surrounding the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, a city in the South Korean-controlled half of Kangwon.

"Until North Korea gets on a pathway to giving up its nuclear weapons, this pressure and all these sanctions, and we've got more to come, are going to keep coming", Tillerson said, according to the Post.

Pence, who has described North Korea as the world's most tyrannical regime, revealed he had not sought to speak to its delegation although he left the door open to some interaction.

A South Korean figure skating pair competing in the Winter Olympics will perform to a popular Korean folk ballad with a couple of words cut to avoid offending Japan over a reference to disputed islands, South Korean officials said on Wednesday.

"We will continue to isolate North Korea until it abandons its nuclear and ballistic missile programs once and for all", Pence declared during his six-day trip to Japan and South Korea.

After addressing the troops, Pence will fly to South Korea to attend Friday's opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics. The North's only airline, Air Koryo, is also blacklisted.