President Moon Jae-in is known to have suggested that Washington initiate exploratory dialogue with North Korea.  

Multiple diplomatic sources said on Wednesday that Moon made the suggestion to U.S. Vice President Mike Pence during their dinner meeting last Thursday. 

The sources said that although Pence did not give a clear answer to the suggestion at the dinner, it appears he is positively reviewing it, pointing to an apparent change in his stance on the North detected in a recent media interview. 

Pence told the Washington Post while returning from the PyeongChang Winter Olympics during the weekend that the U.S. will talk with the North if the North wants it, while he still emphasized the maximum pressure campaign on the North will continue.