As Olympics approach, Trump tries to pressure North Korea

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U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a joint press conference with South Korean President Moon Jae-In at the presidential Blue House in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2017. (Jung Yeon-Je/Pool Photo via AP)

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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is trying to pressure Pyongyang just a week before the Olympic Games begin.

Trump called the leaders of South Korea and Japan on Friday to ask them to keep up the pressure on North Korea. The south is hosting the Winter Games.

Also Friday, Trump invited six North Korean defectors to the White House to highlight human rights abuses by Pyongyang. Trump called the nuclear standoff with North Korea “a tricky situation.”

One of his guests was escapee Ji Seong-ho, who had an emotional moment at this week’s State of the Union when he triumphantly raised his crutches after being singled out by Trump.

The international spotlight will be on the Korean peninsula as the Olympics begin in South Korea next week.