Seoul: The South Korean government has initiated a review process to establish formal diplomatic relations with Syria following the recent end of the Assad family's fifty-year rule, as confirmed by an official on Tuesday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, an official from the foreign ministry disclosed this strategy after a visit to Syria. There, the official confirmed the Syrian interim government's interest in building diplomatic relations with Seoul and assessed the country's current circumstances. "In our judgment, the underlying environment for establishing diplomatic relations is becoming favorable," the official stated.
Syria remains the only U.N. member nation without formal diplomatic ties with South Korea. Establishing bilateral relations could potentially enhance Seoul's diplomatic reach. In December, the Syrian government, led by rebel forces under Ahmed al-Sharaa, succeeded in ousting President Bashar al-Assad, marking the end of the Assad family's long-standing dictatorship. Al-Sharaa has since assumed the role of president for the transitional period.
This development follows South Korea's recent establishment of diplomatic relations with Cuba, where they opened an embassy in Havana last month, signaling a shift in Seoul's foreign policy approach.