Kim Eunjeong (left), director-general of the African and Middle Eastern Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Feb. 7 poses for photos with Assad al-Shaibani, interim minister of foreign affairs and expatriates of the Syrian transitional government, in Damascus, Syria. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

By Yoo Yeon Gyeong

The government will consider forging diplomatic relations with Syria, a longtime ally of North Korea.

A news release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul on Feb. 13 said the Syrian transitional government welcomed the request of Kim Eunjeong, director-general of the ministry's African and Middle Eastern Affairs Bureau, to explore forming official bilateral ties in her meeting with Assad al-Shaibani, the Middle Eastern country's interim minister of foreign affairs and expatriates, when she visited Damascus from Feb. 4-7.

"The Korean government has always supported the Syrian people's efforts toward freedom and prosperity," the director-general said. "To respond to the humanitarian crisis, we will offer various types of humanitarian aid this year such as rice assistance."

Minister al-Shaibani and other Syrian officials thanked Seoul for its humanitarian plan and proposed the expansion of bilateral cooperation.

Excluding North Korea, Syria is the last member country of the United Nations with no diplomatic ties with South Korea. The Mideastern country would be the 194th state to form such relations with Seoul.

dusrud21@korea.kr