Syria and South Korea have officially established diplomatic relations, Al Jazeera reports. This represents a significant breakthrough for the transitional government of Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, News.bg reports.
The move is also seen as a blow to North Korea, a long-time ally of Syria and a major adversary of Seoul.
The diplomatic ties were formalized in Damascus during a meeting between South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and his Syrian counterpart, Assad al-Shaibani.
During the ceremony, Minister Cho said that South Korea is ready to help Syria rebuild after the 13-year civil war through business investment and humanitarian aid.
For his part, al-Shaibani expressed hope that Seoul would support efforts to ease international sanctions that continue to weigh on Damascus, according to information from the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The establishment of official relations finalizes negotiations that began in February after approval by South Korean authorities.