“So to have Pence and Kim sitting just a few feet away from each other — at one of the world’s most high-profile events, no less — is noteworthy.”
The only ‘noteworthy’ aspect is to find out the thinking of whomever assigned the seats in the dignitary seating section. For this type of even, political notable don’t just sit where they want, they sit where their assigned seats are located. Thus I see this as a ‘nothing-burger’ story.
The fact that our Vice President and his wife were front row and Li’l Missy Kim and her partner were not will draw notice among Asian observers.