A group of South Korea's social and political elders voiced their opposition Thursday to any military solution to North Korea's nuclear standoff, calling for bipartisan cooperation in peacefully addressing the nagging security challenge.
In a joint statement, the group also urged Pyongyang to immediately halt its nuclear and missile programs and unconditionally return to dialogue.
The group consisted of 24 prominent figures, including former National Assembly Speakers Kim One-ki, Lim Chae-jung and Chung Ui-hwa, and former Prime Minister Chung Un-chan.
"There must not be any war on the Korean Peninsula," the statement reads. "It is time for civilians and government to be united and work to ward off war, and secure denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula."