South Korea has established diplomatic relations with Syria, a traditional ally of North Korea.

Seoul’s foreign ministry said Friday that Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul traveled to Damascus on Thursday and signed an agreement with his Syrian counterpart, Asaad al-Shaibani, establishing diplomatic ties between the two nations.

The ministry said the agreement has opened a new chapter in bilateral cooperation with Syria, which had long remained distant due to its close ties with North Korea.

South Korea has now established formal diplomatic ties with all 191 U.N. member states, except North Korea.

South Korea also has diplomatic ties with three non-U.N. members: the Holy See and the two South Pacific island nations of Niue and the Cook Islands.