South Korea's top industry official on Wednesday asked for Turkmenistan's support for Korean companies in winning major plant construction projects in the central Asian country, the industry ministry said.

Minister Lee Chang-yang made the request during a meeting with Baymyrat Annamammedov, Turkmenistan's deputy prime minister for construction, industry and electric power, in Seoul, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

Currently, South Korean companies are working to win two projects to build fertilizer factories -- one in the Balkan region and the other in the city of Turkmenabat. The combined value of the projects is US$2.5 billion.

In November, South Korea's Hyundai Engineering Co. signed a memorandum of understanding with Turkmenistan for an ammonia and urea fertilizer plant project in the Balkan region.

Lee proposed enhanced cooperation, as the two nations have successfully carried out major construction projects together, including one to build a gas chemical complex in Kiyanly, which was completed in 2018, according to the ministry.

Lee also asked for Turkmenistan's support for South Korea in its bid to win the 2030 World Expo in the southeastern port city of Busan, the ministry said.

Turkmenistan has the world's fourth-largest gas reserves and has a high demand for plant construction. (Yonhap)