Syria and South Korea signed an agreement on Thursday to establish diplomatic relations, marking a significant shift in Damascus’ foreign policy following the ouster of the Bashar al-Assad regime in late 2024, according to Anadolu Agency.

Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani inked the pact with his South Korean counterpart, Cho Tae-yul, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The ministry published photos of the signing ceremony on its X account.

The Syrian Presidency also confirmed the development, saying on X that President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Shaibani welcomed a high-level South Korean delegation led by Cho. Details of the meeting remained sparse.

Before this agreement, Syria stood as the only UN member state without diplomatic ties with South Korea.

Under the Assad family’s rule, Damascus forged strong bonds with North Korea since 1966, aligning with the socialist bloc during the Cold War while shunning South Korea, a Western ally.

The new Syrian leadership, however, has signaled openness to nations previously at odds with the former regime.

The breakthrough follows a Feb. 7 visit by Eun Jung Kim, South Korea’s director general for African and Middle Eastern affairs, who led the first official delegation to Syria in 22 years.

During that meeting, Shaibani expressed Syria’s intent to turn a new page with Seoul.

Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party’s regime, which had been in power since 1963.

Sharaa, who led anti-regime forces to oust Assad, was declared president for a transitional period in January.