The government has expressed deep regret over North Korea's expulsion of eleven South Korean officials from an inter-Korean industrial complex.

The Unification Ministry issued a statement Thursday urging Pyongyang to normalize operations at the inter-Korean economic cooperation office in Gaesong, North Korea.

It went to say the North should take full responsibility for its actions, noting that Pyongyang had unilaterally demanded that South Korean officials leave Gaesong.

Calling the industrial park the "flagship project" for inter-Korean economic cooperation, the South added that the project should continue.

On Monday, Pyongyang demanded the withdrawal of South Korean officials based at the complex. The demand came after remarks made by Unification Minister Kim Ha-joong last week that expanding the industrial complex would be difficult without resolution of the North Korean nuclear issue.