Foreign Minister Park Jin met with the Ethiopian prime minister in Addis Ababa as he seeks support for South Korea's bid to host the 2030 World Expo, Seoul's foreign ministry said Thursday.

During his luncheon meeting with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali on Wednesday, Park stressed that Ethiopia serves as a crucial gateway for South Korea's diplomacy with Africa as a host of the African Union and called for efforts to further advance their relations into a "strategic partnership."

Park also mentioned that he had chosen Ethiopia as the first destination in his African tour as the two countries commemorate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

Abiy shared Park's views on elevating bilateral ties and stressed cooperation in sectors such as agriculture, mining, industrial technology, health and trade, the ministry said. (Yonhap)