Prime Minister Han Duck-soo expressed South Korea's bid to expand development aid in Africa as he received his Eswatini counterpart Cleopas Dlamini, the prime minister's office said in a statement Friday.

Han stressed Seoul's willingness to take the relationship between Korea and African countries to the next level, in line with President Yoon Suk Yeol's announcement in November to host a special summit of South Korea and African countries, according to the prime minister's office. It did not elaborate on further details.

During their talks at the Government Complex Seoul, Han and Dlamini also exchanged views on ways to collaborate in the field of development aid, tourism, agriculture, education and cooperation on the international stage.

Dlamini expressed his gratitude for South Korea's efforts to extend a helping hand in the fields of health care, education and development cooperation, and his hope to continue the bilateral move in the field of nurturing human resources, according to Han's office.

Han also called for Eswatini's support in the international community's concerted efforts to respond to North Korea's nuclear threats.

South Korea established trade ties in 1968 with Eswatini, a deadlocked country next to South Africa and Mozambique that was formerly known as Swaziland.

Dlamini has been on a state visit to South Korea since Wednesday and is set to depart Seoul on Sunday.

On Thursday, Dlamini went to port city Busan, one of the four candidates bidding to host the World Expo 2030. Dlamini is also scheduled to meet representatives of South Korean corporations, visit the Korean Demilitarized Zone on the border between the two Koreas and go to the National Museum of Korea.