South Korea has formally established diplomatic relations with Syria, closing a decades-long gap and opening a new chapter in its global diplomacy.
The South Korean foreign ministry confirmed the agreement on Friday, describing it as a “milestone moment” that brings the country’s diplomatic outreach full circle. With the signing, Seoul now has relations with all 191 U.N. member states.
The breakthrough comes after years of political distance, driven by Syria’s close alignment with North Korea. That alliance, once marked by regular exchanges and state media coverage, has faded in recent years. Since the ouster of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December, North Korea has made no direct mention of Syria, aside from a passing reference to “the Middle East crisis” by Kim Jong Un.
The diplomatic communique was signed in Damascus on Thursday by South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and Syrian representative Asaad al-Shibani.
Seoul said Minister Cho also met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, offering to share South Korea’s development expertise to support Syria’s post-war reconstruction.
The move mirrors Seoul’s recent diplomatic push. Last year, South Korea opened ties with Cuba, another longstanding ally of Pyongyang.
For South Korea, the agreement signals a strategic and symbolic shift, turning a former Cold War divide into a possible new space for cooperation.
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South Korean workers manufacturing chips for Samsung Electronics are set to vote on a pay deal that could see some of them receive $416,000 in bonuses.
A government-mediated agreement has suspended an 18-day walkout by about 48,000 Samsung union members, easing fears of damage to South Korea's economy and global chip supply.
South Korea’s Samsung Electronics is facing its largest potential labour action in years, with tens of thousands of workers preparing for a prolonged strike over bonuses and profit-sharing at a time when the company is benefiting from a global artificial intelligence (AI) driven chip boom.
Samsung Electronics' union plans for 48,000 workers to walk off the job on Thursday (21 May) after efforts to clinch a deal on bonus payments fell through, threatening the health of South Korea's economy and the global supply of semiconductors.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 26 May, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Dozens of people were killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon on Tuesday, Lebanese officials said, straining a fragile ceasefire agreed between the countries in April. The attacks came as Iran accused the U.S. of violating a separate ceasefire with strikes near the Strait of Hormuz.
Chinese investigators have uncovered hidden tunnels, missing worker trackers and fake underground walls during an initial investigation into the country’s deadliest mining disaster in more than 15 years.
The new AnewZ documentary, TARGET: Yerevan, builds its explosive case on exclusive, secret recordings originally published by Minval Politika.
The visit by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Armenia marks one of the clearest signs yet of Washington’s growing interest in the South Caucasus.
Bolivia’s President Rodrigo Paz has taken steps towards potentially declaring a state of emergency as anti-government protests intensify in the early months of his administration.
Norway is set to come under France’s nuclear umbrella, marking a significant shift in European security arrangements as concerns grow over the United States’ long-term commitment to the region.
Britain has announced fresh sanctions targeting cryptocurrency exchanges, financial networks and banks accused of helping Russia evade Western restrictions imposed after the invasion of Ukraine.
China’s carbon emissions grew far less than previously thought over the past five years, according to a new analysis that is drawing close attention from climate researchers worldwide.
Muslims around the world have marked Eid al-Adha with prayers, celebrations and acts of charity, though for many Palestinians the holiday unfolded amid conflict, restrictions and loss.
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