Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul (L) poses with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani in Damascus on April 9, 2025, after signing the joint statement on the establishment of diplomatic relations.(Image courtesy of the foreign ministry in Seoul)
SEOUL, May 15 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea expressed hope Thursday that U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement on a plan to lift sanctions on Syria will serve as a turning point in efforts toward promoting stability and economic growth in the Arab nation.
The foreign ministry made the statement after Trump said he would lift all sanctions on Syria following his meeting with Syria’s interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday (local time).
“We hope this will serve as an important turning point for the international community’s efforts toward the stability and economic development of Syria,” ministry spokesperson Lee Jae-woong said in a press briefing.
“Going forward, we plan to actively participate in Syria’s reconstruction process, in line with the international community’s lifting of sanctions on Syria. We will also actively support the participation of Korean companies in Syria’s reconstruction,” Lee said.
Syria has been placed under multiple sanctions, from its designation as a state sponsor of terrorism and restrictions in the international banking system to being barred from international imports.
Since the interim government led by al-Sharaa has taken power after the overthrow of former leader Bashar al-Assad’s half-century dictatorship, the Arab country has stepped up efforts to rebuild the country, including reviving diplomacy with the West and other countries.
South Korea established diplomatic relations with Syria in April, marking a diplomatic milestone that completed Seoul’s endeavors to have formal ties with every U.N. member state, except North Korea.
(Yonhap)
