Pence to lead US delegation to Olympics

WASHINGTON – Vice-President Mike Pence and Karen Pence will lead the U.S. delegation to the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea.

A White House official said Wednesday that Pence will attend the games, scheduled for Feb. 9-25 in Pyeongchang.

Pence will also stop in Alaska to review intercontinental ballistic missile defence systems and in Japan. The White House says Pence will stress U.S. commitment to stability in the region to leaders of South Korea and Japan.

North Korea has agreed to take part in the games in South Korea, and the two countries have agreed to hold more discussions on easing tension along their border, and to reopen a military hotline.

The U.S. and other world powers want North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program.