Korea's Foreign Minister Park Jin calls Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto in this photo released by Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wednesday. Courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs

By Nam Hyun-woo

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto expressed his country's support for Korea's bid to host World Expo 2030 in Busan during a phone call with his Korean counterpart, Park Jin, Wednesday.

According to Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Park and Szijjarto shared their opinions on developing bilateral relations and practical cooperation.

Szijjarto said that Hungary supports Busan's bid to host World Expo 2030 and Park expressed his appreciation and pledged further cooperation between the two countries on the international diplomatic stage, the ministry said.

As well as with the foreign minister, National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo met Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani on Wednesday upon the Qatari official's visit to Seoul and asked for Qatar's support regarding Busan's bid to host the Expo.

The Qatari deputy prime minister said that Qatar reaffirms its will to continue its role as a stable energy supplier to Korea, and that it holds a position of reciprocal support with Korea on the international stage.

During a group interview with Busan-based news outlets on Wednesday, Speaker Kim said he will make multiple overseas trips in the near future to promote Busan's capability in hosting the Expo in 2030 successfully.

Kim said he plans to campaign in Ethiopia and Rwanda in October. Rwanda will host the 145th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

Also on Wednesday, President Yoon Suk-yeol said he believes Busan can excel in its capability and infrastructure to host the event.

"I'm confident that we have much greater competitiveness in our capability and infrastructure than Saudi Arabia," the president said during a press conference held to mark his first 100 days in office.