South Korea’s president on Tuesday said Seoul must be involved in any decisions about military action in the region.

“No one should be allowed to decide on a military action on the Korean Peninsula without South Korean agreement,” said President Moon Jae-in in a speech, according to The New York Times.

Moon’s comments follow a week of heightened tensions between Pyongyang and Washington, D.C. After raising the possibility of striking waters near a United States territory last week, North Korea has reportedly backed off from its threat to launch missiles at Guam.

ADVERTISEMENT

Moon in May won the country's presidential election on a platform of re-engaging with Pyongyang, which has conducted numerous missile tests this year and has repeatedly threatened its southern neighbor.

But Moon in the Tuesday speech said pressure on Pyongyang is meant to bring the nation to the table for discussions.

“The purpose of strong sanctions and pressure against North Korea is to bring it to the negotiating table, not to raise military tensions,” he reportedly said.