Lee trades barbs with Israel on social media all weekend... Foreign Ministry also says it "regrets distortion of intent"

[The Financial News] Over the weekend, President Lee Jae-myung repeatedly posted on social media about Israel’s wartime conduct, effectively engaging in a public war of words with Israel. After the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel directly refuted Lee’s remarks, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea immediately expressed regret, stressing that the president’s message was not about a specific incident but reflected his belief in universal human rights.
According to Cheong Wa Dae and political circles on the 12th, the controversy began on the 10th when President Lee shared a video related to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on X (formerly Twitter). He wrote, "I need to find out whether this is true and, if it is, what measures were taken," adding, "There is no difference between the forced mobilization of comfort women that we condemn, the massacre of Jews, or killings committed during wartime."
That same day, Lee added another post, stating, "International humanitarian law must be observed under any circumstances, and human dignity must be protected as a non-negotiable, top priority value." He went on to describe the video as "a real situation that occurred in September 2024," and said, "The White House called it extremely shocking, and U.S. officials, including John F. Kirby, described it as disgusting and unacceptable behavior."
He continued, "If there is any small relief, it is that the victim was not alive but a corpse. However, even for a corpse, such treatment is a violation of international law," stressing, "For any reason and in any place, human rights are the last line of defense and a value that cannot be traded for anything."
After Israel reacted against his remarks, Lee posted again on the 11th, writing, "Given the constant criticism from people around the world who suffer from and are distressed by anti-human-rights and anti-international-law actions, one might have expected at least some self-reflection, but this is disappointing." He added, "It is very troubling to watch our people, who have done nothing wrong, suddenly suffer this enormous pain and national difficulty out of the blue." He then said, "For universal human rights and the national interest of the Republic of Korea, I will work harder to find what more can be done."
On the 11th, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea also issued an official statement expressing regret over the reaction from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel. The ministry stated, "We regret that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel misunderstood the intent of the president’s post, which expressed a belief in universal human rights rather than an opinion on a specific issue, and responded by refuting it."
The ministry went on, "Our government firmly opposes all forms of violence and anti-human-rights behavior, including the terrorism cited by Israel, and has consistently maintained that international humanitarian law and human rights must be upheld without exception." It added, "At the same time, we always share in the indescribable pain Israel has suffered because of the Holocaust, and we once again extend our deepest condolences to the victims of the Holocaust."
This episode has unfolded into a weekend-long diplomatic tension between Israel and South Korea, as the president’s human-rights message, Israel’s backlash, and the Foreign Ministry’s expression of regret followed one after another. Observers note that the issue has grown into a matter requiring joint response by Cheong Wa Dae and the diplomatic authorities, especially after President Lee issued additional remarks aimed at Israel and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea stepped in to defend his position.
Some observers also suggest that the message may have been shaped with Iran in mind, given that the government is working to secure the safe return of South Korean sailors and vessels currently stuck in the Strait of Hormuz. From this perspective, rather than directly confronting the United States and Israel, the government sought to foreground issues of international law and universal human rights, thereby easing pressure from Washington while indirectly conveying its concerns to Iran.

west@fnnews.com Seong Seok-woo Reporter