After a Long Hiatus, Syria and South Korea Establish Formal Diplomatic Ties — A New Equation for North Korea

After a Long Hiatus, Syria and South Korea Establish Formal Diplomatic Ties — A New Equation for North Korea
April 11, 2025

Syria and South Korea have officially established diplomatic relations, a move seen as a significant blow to North Korea. Syria was once a close ally of North Korea, especially during the regime of former President Bashar al-Assad. However, after Assad’s fall, the situation changed dramatically.

On Thursday, in Damascus, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani formally signed the agreement to establish diplomatic relations. During the ceremony, Cho Tae-yul stated that South Korea is ready to assist in Syria’s post-war reconstruction through business investment and humanitarian support.

Syria’s foreign minister expressed hope that South Korea would support efforts to ease international sanctions on the country.

With this establishment of relations, South Korea now maintains diplomatic ties with 191 member states of the United Nations, including the Vatican. Notably, South Korea also established diplomatic relations with Cuba last year — another long-time ally of North Korea — marking a further erosion of Pyongyang’s traditional support network.

Syria's current president, Ahmad al-Sharaa — a former opposition leader against Assad — was sworn into office on March 30. His government has made restoring stability in Syria a top priority.

Meanwhile, South Korea is undergoing political transition of its own. President Yoon Suk-yeol was impeached last week after declaring martial law in December, which led to a major political crisis. The country is currently governed by an interim administration, with new presidential elections scheduled for June.