South Korean civil society leaders and religious activists on Monday called for inter-Korean dialogue, urging both Koreas’ politicians not to make further provocative remarks.

At a briefing held in Seoul’s Press Center, 63 influential people – including senior members of the Catholic Church, Christian organizations, former politicians, female leaders, renowned lawyers and scholars – unveiled a statement criticizing the current spiraling tensions.

“Now there is no way to prevent military conflict. Neither the South or North speak of peace, but only talk about nuclear versus nuclear, preemptive attack versus preemptive attack,” the statement reads.

Inter-Korean relations are at their lowest levels in years