Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono has said that despite the Korean court ruling on Tokyo's wartime forced labor, exchanges between the two countries' citizens should continue.

According to Japan's Asahi Shimbun newspaper on Saturday, the minister spoke to reporters Friday and said the court ruling should not affect bilateral citizen to citizen exchanges.

Kono has been making hawkish comments since the ruling came out. He said the South Korean government should be responsible for compensating the victims and that it would be difficult for any country to work with Seoul.

He said the ruling was a challenge to the international community.

In response, South Korea's Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon expressed deep regret over the aggressive remarks voiced by leading Japanese officials regarding the court ruling.

He said the remarks are neither appropriate nor wise.

Minister Kono did not apologize or express regret over the statements he made, drawing a backlash in South Korea, and only said that he has no comment.