South Korea establishes diplomatic relations with Syria, a longtime friend of rival North Korea

South Korea has officially established diplomatic relations with Syria’s new Islamist-led government, its foreign ministry announced Friday. The move comes months after a rebel coalition ousted longtime President Bashar al-Assad, who had maintained close ties with North Korea.

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul traveled to Damascus on Thursday, where he signed a joint communiqué with his Syrian counterpart, Asaad al-Shaibani, formalizing the relationship. Seoul described the agreement as a significant step toward unlocking new avenues for cooperation that had long been blocked by Syria’s alignment with Pyongyang.

During the talks, Cho expressed South Korea’s willingness to assist in Syria’s post-war reconstruction following more than a decade of civil conflict. He noted that South Korean companies could eventually play a role in rebuilding efforts and pledged continued humanitarian aid.

Al-Shaibani welcomed South Korea’s support, highlighting the importance of reconstruction and expressing hope that Seoul might help ease the international sanctions still weighing heavily on Syria.

With this development, South Korea now holds diplomatic relations with all 191 United Nations member states—except for North Korea, its estranged neighbor and wartime rival. Tensions between the two Koreas are at a low point, with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ramping up nuclear weapons development and reportedly supplying arms and troops to aid Russia’s war effort in Ukraine.

North Korean state media has yet to comment on the newly formed alliance between Seoul and Damascus.

The move mirrors South Korea’s decision last year to establish ties with Cuba—another longtime ally of North Korea—which Seoul at the time described as delivering a “political and psychological blow” to Pyongyang. As North Korea continues to rely on a shrinking circle of Cold War-era allies, South Korea’s expanding diplomatic reach may further isolate the regime.