First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun met with India's top envoy to Seoul on Monday for talks on strengthening bilateral relations amid the coronavirus pandemic, the foreign ministry said.

In the talks with Ambassador Sripriya Ranganathan, the two sides agreed to continue efforts to deepen bilateral cooperation, especially in the defense industry and people-to-people exchanges.

They also shared the need to continue close communication via virtual meetings between the two governments and agreed to seek ways to resume high-level talks, such as a "two plus two" meeting between the foreign and defense ministers.

In Monday's talks, Choi also asked India to support South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee's bid for the director generalship of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the ministry added.

Yoo has entered the final round of the selection process for the new WTO chief, competing with Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria.

The WTO is expected to announce the decision on the new leader around early November. (Yonhap)