Syria signs agreement to establish diplomatic relations with South Korea

On Thursday, Syria signed an agreement with South Korea to establish diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The agreement was signed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Syrian Interim Government, Asaad al Shaibani, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of South Korea, Cho Tae-yul.

According to the Syrian News Agency (SANA), “Syria and South Korea signed an agreement in Damascus to establish diplomatic relations, the South’s foreign ministry said, marking the beginning of new contacts with a traditional ally of their rival, North Korea”.

The event marks a milestone for South Korea as it establishes relations with all 191 UN member states.

The South Korean Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the agreement opens a new chapter in bilateral cooperation with Syria, which has long been estranged due to its close ties with North Korea.

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and his Syrian counterpart, Asaad al Shaibani, signed a joint statement on Thursday, as the South Korean Foreign Ministry expressed his willingness to share South Korea’s development experience to support Syria’s reconstruction.

It’s worth noting that, the South Korean Foreign Minister had a meeting with the Syrian transitional President Ahmed al Sharaa.

From his part, the Syrian foreign Minister, expressed his happiness at signing the agreement, as he posted on X, “Today we signed an important diplomatic agreement with the Republic of South Korea, paving the way for strengthening bilateral relations and opening new horizons for cooperation in the fields of economy, technology, and education… In the new Syria, we emphasize the importance of partnerships based on mutual respect and common interests”.

The Syrian transitional president, Ahmad al Sharaa, received a high-level Korean delegation headed by Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, in a development that was considered a significant diplomatic step, as South Korea seeks to strengthen its official relations with all UN member states, with the exception of North Korea, according to the Korean news agency.

In a statement issued by the South Korean Foreign Ministry, it was emphasized that this agreement “opens a new chapter in cooperation with Syria”.

South Korea, would contribute to supporting Syria’s development and regional stability, as the south Korean Minister expressed his country’s willingness to share its experience in economic growth to support the reconstruction process in Syria.

The statement continued, saying that the possibility of South Korean companies participating in reconstruction efforts was discussed, in addition to providing humanitarian aid, such as medicines, medical equipment, and rice, to support the Syrian people.