In a surprise moment during a planned visit to South Korea, Vice President Pence went to go see the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea for himself.

Meaningful visit to DMZ where 64 years ago my dad earned Bronze Star in Korean War. His medal stays close in my West Wing office. #VPinASIA pic.twitter.com/e2OCJsEiIK

— Vice President Pence (@VP) April 17, 2017

Proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with US & S. Korean troops at DMZ. Today I reaffirmed that under @POTUS Trump our resolve is undeterred. pic.twitter.com/q7kBAbotP9

— Vice President Pence (@VP) April 17, 2017

He also had a very specific message for North Korea.

“All options are on the table to achieve the objectives and ensure the stability of the people of this country,” he told reporters as tinny propaganda music floated across from the North Korean side.

He said U.S. President Donald Trump has made clear he won’t talk about specific military tactics.

“There was a period of strategic patience but the era of strategic patience is over,” Pence said.

On the other side of the world, National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster held the same line on North Korea.

“While it’s unclear and we do not want to telegraph in any way how we’ll respond to certain incidents, it’s clear that the president is determined not to allow this kind of capability to threaten the United States,” Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster told ABC News’ Martha Raddatz in an exclusive interview on “This Week” Sunday. “Our president will take action that is in the best interest of the American people.”

In the meantime, China and Russia are apparently taking the escalation seriously. But which side they are taking more seriously…. well, that’s a bit of a toss-up.

China and Russia have dispatched intelligence-gathering vessels from their navies to chase the USS Carl Vinson nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, which is heading toward waters near the Korean Peninsula, multiple sources of the Japanese government revealed to The Yomiuri Shimbun.

It appears that both countries aim to probe the movements of the United States, which is showing a stance of not excluding military action against North Korea. The Self-Defense Forces are strengthening warning and surveillance activities in the waters and airspace around the area, according to the sources.

China and Russia, which prioritize stability in the Korean Peninsula, showed concern over the tough U.S. stance, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov saying the issue should be resolved peacefully through political and diplomatic efforts.

Maintaining the status quo is definitely a priority for China and Russia, but what happens when it’s North Korea’s chubby brat with bombs who decides to upset the balance?

We can’t afford to ignore North Korea just because it would be easier to do so. Inaction is really easy. Having to step up and tell a dictator NO is a lot harder. Tell you what, Lavrov – how about you tell Kim Jong-un NO, and then see if he gives up his toys easily and peacefully. How has that worked up until now? Like all children figure out really early on, if there is no threat of punishment, there’s no incentive to obey. Any parent of a toddler can tell you that, Foreign Minister Lavrov. So either help, or get out of the way.