South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, right, poses with Qatar's deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, during their meeting at the presidential office in Seoul's Yonsan District, Thursday. Yonhap

President Yoon Suk-yeol met with the deputy prime minister of Qatar on Thursday and discussed ways to expand cooperation between the two countries, his office said.

Yoon met with Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, deputy prime minister and foreign minister of Qatar, at his office, saying Qatar has been a key cooperation partner in the Middle East, especially in the areas of energy and construction.

Yoon called for "expanding cooperation between the two countries to more diverse areas, such as food security and climate change," his office said in a press release.

Mohammed "highly assessed" South Korean companies' contribution to Qatar's economic and social development through infrastructure construction and other projects, adding he hopes to further deepen bilateral cooperation.

The two jointly expressed hope that tourism, business, medical and other exchanges will increase between the two countries following the signing of a visa exemption agreement on Wednesday.

Yoon also explained South Korea's efforts to bring the 2030 World Expo to Busan, saying he hopes it will serve as an opportunity for more Qataris to visit South Korea.

He promised South Korea's support for Qatar's successful hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in November. Mohammed thanked the president and extended a letter from Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar inviting him to the World Cup and to the country. (Yonhap)