President Yoon Suk Yeol  held a summit with Kenyan President William Ruto on Wednesday and called for stronger cooperation between the two nations in energy and the arms industry.

In the summit at the presidential office in Seoul, President Yoon said that South Korea and Kenya have maintained long-standing friendly relations since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1964, calling the African country a traditional ally and key partner in the region.

Yoon expressed hope that the two nations will further deepen bilateral exchanges and cooperation after the summit, expecting extensive discussions for cooperation in various sectors.

According to the presidential office, Yoon asked for Kenya's consideration of South Korean businesses seeking to participate in Kenya's energy and arms projects, promising to provide new varieties of locally-developed rice to help Kenya improve its food security.

In response, President Ruto said the two nations have maintained good relations built upon common values and principles including multilateralism, while expressing hope for cooperation in nuclear energy and other areas.

Ruto visited South Korea upon Yoon's invitation, becoming the first Kenyan president to visit South Korea in 32 years.