South Korean President Moon Jae-in (M) with top religious leaders before a meeting at his office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Dec. 6. (Photo: Yonhap)
South Korean President Moon Jae-in reiterated on Wednesday his determination to peacefully end Korea Peninsula's nuclear ambitions, saying South Korea will never allow the US to take military action against the North without its permission, Yonhap News Agency reported.
"Tensions between the South and the North are at their peak, so it is a very delicate situation, as if we are walking on thin ice," Moon said while meeting with the leaders of seven leading religious orders, including Buddhism, Protestantism and Catholicism.
"But a peaceful solution is still possible,” Moon said. “War or violence must not be allowed.”
Moon said two types of dialogues are expected - to solve North Korea’s nuclear issue and to improve South-North Korean relations - but the former was supposed to involve with US while the later was hindered by North Korea’s nuclear tests.
Moon's remarks come a week after Pyongyang launched an apparent intercontinental ballistic missile in its first military provocation in over two months.
"But I am not all pessimistic. I believe a crisis may well turn into an opportunity, and the night is the darkest just before the dawn. The Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang might be an opportunity to dramatically improve South-North relations," Moon said.
Moon added that religious and non-government exchanges could help as the channels of official dialogues have been blocked. “If North Korea could attend the 2018 Winter Olympics, then an political dialogue could be accomplished between its host city Gangwon-do and Pyongyang,” Moon noted.
