President Moon Jae-in on Friday said his biggest regrets in regards state affairs last year were stalled nuclear talks between the U.S. and North Korea and the livelihood struggles faced by South Koreans. 

Moon made the comments while speaking to a SBS morning radio program, during which he also sent Lunar New Year's greetings to the public.

Asked what was most regrettable in 2019, the president said peace on the Korean Peninsula and inter-Korean cooperation could have advanced if there had been some progress on denuclearization, adding separated families would have entered the holiday with more hope. 

Since earlier this month, Moon has been stressing the need to expand cross-border cooperation and exchanges to promote dialogue between North Korea and the United States.

The president also noted it's the first major holiday since his mother passed last year, and expressed sadness over her absence. He said he regretted not being able to keep a promise he made to take her to her hometown in the North, which she fled during the Korean War. 

President Moon's mother, Kang Han-ok, died in October at the age of 92. She met with her family in the North once, during an inter-Korean family reunion event in 2004.

With Friday also marking Moon's 68th birthday, the program host and singer Kim Chang-wan played a song for the president.