South Korean President Moon Jae-in delivers a speech at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea June 12, 2017. REUTERS/Ahn Young-joon/Pool

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - South Korean President Moon Jae-in said he hopes to draw North Korea to the negotiating table over its nuclear program by the end of the year and pushed off any talk about a potential preemptive strike, according to a U.S. media interview that aired on Tuesday.

Asked about the possibility of such a strike, Moon told CBS News in a televised interview: “When it comes to pre-emptive strike ... this is something we may be able to discuss at a later date when the threat has become even more urgent.”