South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Monday called for dialogue and cooperation with the North as he delivered his final New Year speech before leaving office in May, Yonhap reported.

South Korea still has a long way to go to improve inter-Korean relations despite many achievements during his five-year term, Moon said, adding that he will pursue an "irreversible path to peace" on the Korean Peninsula until his term ends.

"If we resume dialogue and cooperation, the international community will respond," Moon said in his televised speech. "The government will pursue normalization of inter-Korean relations and an irreversible path to peace until the end. I hope efforts for dialogue will continue in the next administration too."

Moon's speech came after Pyongyang wrapped up a key party meeting but stopped short of providing the outside world with fresh clues to its key policies related to inter-Korean ties and denuclearization talks with the United States.

(Cover: South Korean President Moon Jae-in delivers a new year speech at the Presidential Blue House in Seoul, South Korea, January 3, 2022. /Reuters)