South Korean Prime Minister Chung Hong-won called on Qatar Tuesday to expand its investment here and its support for South Korean firms' participation in major construction projects in the Gulf state.

He made the request during a meeting in Doha with his Qatari counterpart Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani.

Chung is in the Gulf state on the second leg of his seven-day, four-nation tour from Sunday that also includes visits to Bahrain, Sri Lanka and Turkey.

He requested that Qatar "make more investments in South Korea"

and proposed joint efforts to "create economic synergistic effects by boosting cooperation in diverse fields such as energy and construction," according to Chung's office.

Extending congratulations on its winning bid to host the 2022 World Cup, Chung also asked for the Qatari government's support to allow South Korean companies to actively participate in major construction projects there.

Qatar is expected to launch diverse infrastructure construction projects worth US$100 billion to prepare for the global sport event.

Following the bilateral talks, Chung met with the chairman of executive committee from Qatar Rail Company in charge of the country's massive railway construction project to pave the way for South Korean firms' winning its contracts.

During his meeting with Qatar's new emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, Chung invited the emir and the prime minister to South Korea next year to mark the 40th anniversary of forging diplomatic relations between the two nations, according to Chung's office. (Yopnhap News)