The top diplomats of South Korea and Japan held talks on Thursday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

South Korea's Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and her Japanese counterpart, Toshimitsu Motegi, met for the first time since the latter was appointed in a Cabinet reshuffle earlier this month.

In the meeting that lasted about 50 minutes, the two sides reportedly exchanged views on how to address strained bilateral relations triggered by Japanese export restrictions following South Korean top court rulings against Japanese companies in favor of victims of wartime forced labor.

Kang and Motegi are said to have made no substantial progress in the discussions.

While admitting that the two sides failed to rectify their differences, Kang told reporters that both she and Motegi support sustained diplomatic communication and consultation and also share a belief in the importance of continued efforts for future-oriented bilateral relations. 

The minister added that the two sides also agreed on the importance of cooperation between Seoul and Tokyo regarding the North Korea nuclear issue.