Pope Francis expressed hope for efforts to foster lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula through "dialogue and reconciliation" in his Christmas message on Monday, amid tensions heightened by North Korea's recent missile launches and tough rhetoric.

The pontiff delivered the message during his "Urbi et Orbi" -- or "to the city and the world" -- blessing from the main balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican as the world has been beset by multiple security challenges, including the war between Israel and the Hamas militant group and Russia's war in Ukraine.

"May the day draw near when fraternal bonds will be consolidated on the Korean peninsula by undertaking processes of dialogue and reconciliation capable of creating the conditions for lasting peace," he said according to an English-language transcript posted on the Vatican website.

Tensions have remained high on the peninsula following the North's launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile last week.

Risks of cross-border confrontation have also risen as Pyongyang walked away from an 2018 inter-Korean military tension reduction agreement following Seoul's partial suspension of it in response to the recalcitrant regime's space rocket launch last month.

Commenting on the war in the Middle East, Pope Francis voiced hope that the "Palestinian question" would come to be resolved through "sincere and persevering dialogue between the parties, sustained by strong political will and the support of the international community."

"My heart grieves for the victims of the abominable attack of 7 October, and I reiterate my urgent appeal for the liberation of those still being held hostage," he said, referring to Hamas' deadly assault on Israel that sparked the ongoing war.

"I plead for an end to the military operations with their appalling harvest of innocent civilian victims, and call for a solution to the desperate humanitarian situation by an opening to the provision of humanitarian aid," he added. (Yonhap)