South Korea has established official diplomatic relations with Cuba, one of North Korea's close allies.

In a surprise announcement on Wednesday night, South Korea's mission to the United Nations(UN) said that formal relations were established through an exchange of diplomatic notes between the two countries' representatives to the UN in New York.

Seoul's foreign ministry said in a separate statement that the two countries have agreed to actively discuss follow-up measures, including the opening of diplomatic missions in both nations.

The ministry said that the establishment of diplomatic relations was an important turning point allowing South Korea to strengthen and expand diplomacy in Latin America, noting that it would contribute to an increase in substantial cooperation between Korea and Cuba.

Cuba is the 193rd country with which South Korea has built diplomatic relations, and Syria is the only UN member state that has not established diplomatic ties with South Korea. 

Although Cuba officially recognized South Korea in 1949, bilateral exchanges were effectively severed after Fidel Castro seized power in a 1959 revolution.