National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo talks with the head of Rwanda's Senate Augustin Iyamuremye during a general meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Union held in Kigali, Oct. 11. Yonhap

National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo has met with parliamentary leaders of Rwanda and Tanzania and asked for their support for Korea's bid to host the 2030 World Expo.

Kim met with Tanzania's assembly speaker Tulia Ackson and the head of Rwanda's Senate Augustin Iyamuremye on Tuesday at a general meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Union being held in Rwanda's capital city of Kigali.

Korea is working hard to host the expo in the country's biggest port city of Busan, which aims to become an environmentally friendly city with digital infrastructure, Kim said.

Busan is competing against Rome and Riyadh, capital cities of Italy and Saudi Arabia.

Kim also discussed improving economic cooperation between Korea and African nations with Ackson and Iyamuremye.

"Tanzania and Rwanda are two of the fastest growing countries and the core of diplomacy in Africa," a parliamentary official said, adding their support is important in Seoul's expo campaign. (Yonhap)