Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in affirmed their stance of raising pressure on North Korea in talks Friday ahead of the opening ceremony for the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.

While preparations for the Pyeongchang Games have involved dialogue and displays of unity between the two Koreas, Abe said he and Moon repeated that there is a need to continue to press the North over its nuclear weapons and missile development programs, as agreed between Japan and the United States.

"North Korea must recognize that the strong ties between Japan, the United States and South Korea will never waver," he told reporters after meeting with Moon.