U.S. Urges Latin America to End Diplomatic Ties With North Korea

By Shannon Pettypiece
August 16, 2017, 12:12 PM CDT
Pence calls Chile a ‘beacon of freedom’ in Western Hemisphere
Chile had $27 million in trade with North Korea in 2015


U.S. Vice President Mike Pence called on Chile, Brazil, Mexico and Peru to cut all economic and diplomatic relations with North Korea as the U.S. looks to broaden the coalition of countries pressuring leader Kim Jong-Un to curtail his nuclear program.

Pence made the statement after meeting today in Santiago with Chilean President Michelle Bachelet as part of a six-day tour of South America, including stops in Argentina and Colombia.

"We strongly urge Chile today, and we urge Brazil, Mexico and Peru to break all diplomatic and commercial ties to North Korea,” Pence told reporters. “The era of strategic patience is over, with regard to North Korea. All options are on the table.”

While the vast majority of North Korea’s trade is with China, there is a small percentage that flows to Latin America. Chile exported $2 million worth of products to the Asian nation in 2015, of which 90 percent was copper, while importing $25 million, largely in steel and iron products, according to La Tercera newspaper. While Chile has a “joint arrangement” with China and North Korea, it hasn’t presented credentials for the past four years.

More:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-08-16/u-s-urges-latin-america-to-end-diplomatic-ties-with-north-korea