Josh Smith, Trevor Hunnicutt

SEOUL (Reuters). COVID-19 limitations may play a role for North Korea’s inability to respond to diplomatic offers, a top U.S. official stated on Sunday. This was just a day after President Joe Biden claimed he offered vaccinations to Pyongyang.

Biden, as part of his inaugural trip to Asia as president, is currently in South Korea. He will then travel to Japan Sunday.

Biden spoke with Yoon Suk-yeol (the newly elected South Korean President) on Saturday. Biden said that while he would intensify efforts to stop North Korean threats, but also indicated that he was open for talks. This included sitting down to leader Kim Jong Un and that he has offered COVID vaccinations to Pyongyang without any response.

North Korea claims that the U.S.’s overtures to it are not sincere, as Washington continues its “hostile policies”, such as sanctions and military drills.

Officials were asked by Biden if they would be willing to make concrete efforts to resolve the impasse.

The official stated, using initials from North Korea’s official title: “This decision can only be made by the DPRK.”

Biden focused on the rallying of “likeminded” democracies during his trip, as part of wider efforts to counter China’s increasing influence and to exert pressure upon Russia regarding its war with Ukraine.

Biden will be meeting with the leaders of Australia, India, Japan and Japan on the second leg his Asia trip. The Quad is another key component of Biden’s strategy for countering China’s increasing influence.

Yoon indicated an interest in working closer with the Quad. However, the U.S. official confirmed that Seoul is not being considered.

Official: “It is natural to contemplate ways you could work with similar democracies. But I believe it’s important to remember that the current goal is to build on what was laid out.”

Tokyo will see Monday’s launch of Biden’s eagerly awaited Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity, (IPEF), which is a program that aims to bring regional countries closer through common standards in areas such as supply-chain resilience and clean energy.

Although the official from the U.S. declined to name the countries that might join the IPEF, he said there was “very strong interest” in the area to participate.

Biden had planned to visit Japan with Yoon and meet the Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group before departing for Japan.