The South Korean government has announced plans to establish diplomatic relations with Syria, which is historically one of North Korea’s strongest allies. This move is expected to deepen North Korea’s diplomatic isolation further.
On Tuesday, a South Korean Foreign Ministry official stated that based on international trends and Syria’s willingness, “we will actively proceed with reviewing the establishment of diplomatic relations with Syria.” Among the 193 member states of the United Nations, Syria is currently the only country that does not have diplomatic ties with South Korea.
Following South Korea’s normalization of relations with Cuba—another long-time ally of North Korea—Syria’s potential establishment of ties with Seoul further narrows Pyongyang’s diplomatic space.
Syria established diplomatic relations with North Korea in 1966 and has maintained close political and military ties. Over the years, there have been recurring suspicions that the two countries secretly cooperated in nuclear and missile-related fields.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad maintained a personal rapport, frequently exchanging letters. However, after Assad’s regime collapsed after a prolonged civil war at the end of 2024 and a new transitional government took over, Syria appears to have distanced itself from North Korea.
Syria has been a strategically significant ally for North Korea due to its geographical position between Europe and Asia, particularly in Pyongyang’s anti-U.S. and anti-imperialist stance. Syria has played a role as a transit point for North Korea’s illicit arms trade with the West.
However, some analysts believe that the impact of this diplomatic shift on North Korea may not be as significant as expected. While losing another ally carries symbolic weight, North Korea and Syria had already weakened their ties in recent years, making the practical consequences relatively minor.
Lim Eul Chul, a professor at Kyungnam University’s Institute for Far Eastern Studies, noted, “With Syria’s prolonged civil war and the gradual collapse of the Assad regime, interactions between North Korea and Syria had already significantly decreased compared to the past.” Reports also suggest that the North Korean embassy in Syria was withdrawn following the fall of Assad’s government.
This diplomatic shift may result in North Korea adjusting its foreign policy or reshuffle diplomatic personnel, though such changes are unlikely to be large-scale.
Following South Korea’s establishment of diplomatic ties with Cuba last year, North Korea replaced its ambassador to Cuba. This time, a similar personnel change may occur, but it is expected to be at a working level rather than involving high-ranking officials.
Meanwhile, concerns are growing that this move could accelerate North Korea’s deepening ties with Russia. Having voluntarily embraced international isolation and heavily relied on Moscow, North Korea is now losing its remaining allies one by one, making it even more dependent on Russia.