South Korea and Syria just established diplomatic relations. Why does it matter?

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South Korea and Syria just established diplomatic relations. Why does it matter?

Published: 16 Apr. 2025, 19:00

SEO JI-EUN
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Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

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South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, left, and Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, right, shake hands during a meeting in Damascus on April 10. [MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS]

The finale of South Korea’s effort to forge diplomatic ties with the last UN member state with which it had no relations was seemingly ripped from the pages of a Tom Clancy novel.

With Syria still teetering between war and fragile recovery, South Korea's Foreign Ministry Cho Tae-yul slipped into Damascus on April 10 with a tightly secured delegation under a veil of total secrecy. His mission: to finalize diplomatic relations with one of the world's most politically sensitive countries — on Syria's own turf and terms.

The mission lasted just five hours.

Cho and his team landed quietly in Lebanon, where South Korea maintains an embassy, before embarking on a covert drive to Syria. The details were so tightly concealed that Korean media remained unaware until after Cho had crossed back over the border.

Cho signed a joint communiqué formally establishing diplomatic ties. He did not stay overnight, immediately returning to Lebanon once the agenda was completed.

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, front, sits in a vehicle with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani at the wheel, driving his South Korean counterpart to the presidential palace for a courtesy call on Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa during Cho's visit to the Arab nation on April 10. The South Korean Foreign Ministry described the gesture as “the highest level of protocol and security” in the Arab world. [MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS]

Upon arrival, Cho and his team were received under what the ministry described as “the highest level of protocol and security.”

Syrian authorities tripled the usual security force assigned to diplomatic visits. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani personally chauffeured Cho to his meeting with interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa — known as the highest symbolic gesture of honor in the Arab world.

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, left, steps out of a vehicle chauffeured by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, right, en route to the presidential palace for a courtesy call on Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa during Cho's visit to the Arab nation on April 10. [MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS]

Experts say the move not only broadened South Korea’s diplomatic footprint by completing ties with all UN member states but also put symbolic pressure on North Korea, which long counted Syria as a fraternal ally.

“It also opens a new chapter for bilateral cooperation with Syria, which had long remained distant due to its close ties with North Korea,” the Foreign Ministry added.

Still, challenges remain. Syria continues to face internal instability and remains under international sanctions. Analysts warn that for Seoul’s engagement with Damascus to evolve beyond symbolic gestures, the Syrian transitional government must first demonstrate progress in restoring domestic order and securing legitimacy on the world stage.

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, left, and Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, right, converse during a meeting in Damascus on April 10. [MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS]

Fast-tracked talks with Damascus

With Cho's whirlwind trip, Syria became the final UN member state — 191st in total — to establish diplomatic ties with South Korea.

Syria becomes South Korea’s 194th diplomatic partner, including three non-UN states — Vatican City, the Cook Islands and Niue. The Foreign Ministry hailed the move as a "historic milestone."

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For Syria, South Korea was also the first country to establish official relations with the country since the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024.

The regime was a longtime North Korean ally and remained diplomatically isolated for decades. The HTS-led transitional government that replaced Assad has prioritized normalizing international relations and rebuilding the economy.

Once the South Korean government confirmed this policy shift, it moved swiftly.

In February, Kim Eun-jeong, director-general of the Middle East and Africa Bureau at South Korea’s Foreign Ministry, became the first Korean official to visit Syria in 22 years. Talks progressed rapidly, and a proposal for diplomatic normalization was approved by Korea's Cabinet on March 18. Just two days later, Seoul sent its ambassador to Lebanon to Syria to coordinate the final details.

By April 10, Cho was on the ground in Damascus to seal the deal — wrapping up the entire process in just over two months.

Sending the foreign minister himself rather than relying on embassies or proxies was deliberate.

“Syria strongly preferred a high-level signing instead of a traditional diplomatic exchange via embassies, and given the symbolic value of completing our diplomatic network, we felt it was worth the risk,” a senior foreign ministry official said in a post-trip press briefing on Tuesday.

Cho later reflected on his decision to go in person, saying, “When the iron is hot, you strike,” likening the mission to a “game-winning home run.”

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, left, and then-Syrian President Bashar al-Assad [JOONGANG ILBO]

Repercussions for North Korea

The agreement places additional pressure on North Korea, which had shared a six-decade-long alliance with Syria — its main ally in the Middle East — rooted in shared anti-Western ideologies and military cooperation.

The two established diplomatic ties in July 1966.

In the 1970s, North Korea sent military personnel to assist Syria in its wars with Israel and later engaged in missile technology transfers. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Assad exchanged letters regularly, maintaining a symbolic show of solidarity.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, center, poses for a commemorative photo with a Syrian delegation visiting Pyongyang in July 2013 to attend celebrations marking the "Victory Day" armistice anniversary on July 27. [YONHAP]

But with Assad ousted and a new transitional government in place, North Korean diplomats quickly fled Syria with Russian assistance.

"The new Syrian leadership and South Korea share a common understanding that cooperation through diplomatic normalization should contribute to peace and stability in the region,” noted the Foreign Ministry.

"Amid North Korea's shrinking international reach, with overseas diplomatic posts already down to 10, Kim is strengthening alliances with the remaining socialist bloc," said Cho Han-bum, a senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification, noting that the loss of Syria as a loyal ally — in addition to Cuba last year — represents a "blow" to Kim’s so-called “new Cold War diplomacy.”

North Korean state media have largely avoided mentioning Syria since Assad’s ouster.

It was only on Tuesday that it mentioned Syria for the first time since the regime's collapse, reporting that the Syrian Embassy in Pyongyang had sent flowers for late North Korean founder Kim Il Sung’s birthday. Analysts believe this was an attempt to signal that formal ties with Damascus remain intact, even as Syria aligns with Seoul.

Despite North Korea's evident frustration over losing key allies to South Korean diplomacy, experts believe Pyongyang is unlikely to publicly escalate tensions or cut ties with those countries.

“Rather than provoke, Pyongyang will likely focus on preserving what’s left,” said Cho. “But a return to the deep military, technical and economic cooperation it once had with Syria is unlikely.”

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, left, and his Syrian counterpart Asaad al-Shaibani, right, converse before formally signing the documents for a diplomatic relationship agreement between the two countries in Damascus on April 10. [MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS]

Syria looks to South Korea for postwar growth playbook

Syria has shown a keen interest in South Korea’s postwar development model.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs estimates that Syria’s reconstruction needs approximately $250 billion, with core focus areas including roads, ports, energy infrastructure, education and health care.

Foreign Minister Cho proposed trilateral cooperation encompassing humanitarian aid, development experience sharing and infrastructure rebuilding.

Initial humanitarian aid from South Korea will include rice, medicines, and medical devices, such as dialysis and X-ray machines, to be delivered through international agencies.

Syria also hopes to send working-level delegations to Seoul to learn from its experience, particularly in the IT and energy sectors. Al-Sharaa expressed a desire to build a “strategic relationship” with Seoul based on development cooperation.

Officials note that the transitional government has actively sought financial support from the Gulf States and lobbied Western countries to ease sanctions.

"They’ve been reaching out for support, and while the United States hasn’t taken a clear stance yet, South Korea stepped forward first," said Jang Ji-hyang, director of the Center for Middle East and North African Studies at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies. "For the transitional government, this felt like winning the jackpot.”

Jang and other regional analysts also say the move strengthens Seoul’s Middle East strategy, with South Korea potentially gaining a diplomatic foothold in Syria that aligns it more closely with key Middle Eastern partners — such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. These Gulf countries have begun reengaging with Syria, motivated by its strategic location and reconstruction potential.

“Syria is seen as a geopolitical crossroads between the Gulf and the Mediterranean,” said Jang. “By engaging with Syria, South Korea can signal to the Gulf States that it shares their interests in regional stability and reconstruction.”

K-drama diplomacy

Korean pop culture appears to have played a surprising role in softening diplomatic channels.

During earlier discussions in Damascus in February, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani reportedly told the South Korean Foreign Ministry's Kim that he had watched Korean dramas and was impressed by their ability to portray “human struggles and emotions” with narrative depth.

Cultural references, such as K-dramas, K-beauty products and Korean food, often help ease tensions in early diplomatic exchanges.

Jang recalled how even under the Assad regime, Korean culture had quietly circulated among Syrian elites.

“Korean content definitely helps open doors," Jang said. "It’s not too heavy and works as an icebreaker [in tense meetings]."

Reinforcement Syrian security forces deploy in the outskirts of Latakia, Syria on March 7. [AP/YONHAP]

Concerns about political stability

While the atmosphere surrounding the normalization was largely optimistic, concerns persist over Syria’s internal governance and long-term stability.

The transitional government is led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a former rebel group with historical ties to Al Qaeda. Although HTS now presents itself as politically reformed, some in the international community remain skeptical about its ideological stance and capacity for inclusive governance.

During Cho's visit, the Syrian government expressed hope for Seoul's support in easing sanctions. However, analysts say real progress will depend on how the new leadership addresses issues of governance and national cohesion.

“Sectarian conflict tends to follow civil wars,” said Jang. "If Syria wants practical cooperation with South Korea — especially on reconstruction — it must guarantee minority rights and ensure the safety of foreign personnel and companies operating there."

People gather the mosque and its surroundings with the Syrian revolution flag and chant slogans calling for the country's freedom and a "new Syria" following the collapse of the 61-year-long Baath regime in Syria and the end of the Assad family's rule in Damascus, Syria, on Dec. 13, 2024.[UPI/YONHAP]

Cho also noted that "if Syria continues to respond to the calls from the international community by advancing inclusive governance, taking a firm action against extremism and eliminating chemical weapons, it will help create a conducive environment for reconstruction and sustainable economic development.” He added that South Korea "stands ready to play a meaningful role in supporting the new government's efforts."

Seoul officials emphasized that the decision to engage Syria was not made in isolation but reflects a broader international trend.

"As the new Syrian government seeks to reintegrate into the international community through more comprehensive diplomacy, we hope our move helps support that stabilization process,” said a senior Foreign Ministry official.

For now, diplomatic affairs will be handled by Korea’s embassy in Lebanon. Plans for a resident Syrian embassy in Seoul have yet to be announced.

BY SEO JI-EUN [[email protected]]