"Two Koreans to Be Deported Without Being Held in Detention Facilities"... MOFA Says Special Israeli Measures Made It Possible

[Financial News] The government said on the 21st that two Korean activists detained by the Israeli military have been deported directly to a third country without being held in a detention facility and are now going through repatriation procedures. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said this was possible thanks to special measures taken by Israel for South Korea.
The two deportees were able to avoid potential human rights violations that could have occurred if they had been held in a local detention facility. The previous day, President Lee Jae Myung expressed strong regret to the Israeli government over the detention of Korean nationals.
A Foreign Ministry official said, "The Israeli side said that the two Korean nationals would be deported immediately without going through a detention facility." He added, "The government has requested that our nationals be released and deported immediately, without detention, before and after the vessel they were on was seized."
In cooperation with the Israel Immigration Authority, a consul from the Korean embassy there met the two deportees at the airport and checked on their health. The ministry also said it provided Kim Ah-hyun with a travel certificate after her passport was invalidated, helping her return home.
This was the second time Kim had been detained by the Israeli military. She was also arrested last October while taking part in the same activity, before being released. When Kim said she intended to head back to Gaza Strip, a restricted travel area, the ministry ordered her to surrender her passport.
When Kim refused, the passport was invalidated. Kim's side objected and filed a request with the court to suspend the execution of the passport surrender order, but it was rejected.
Another activist released along with Kim Ah-hyun, Kim Dong-hyun, was seized by the Israeli military while traveling in the Mediterranean Sea aboard the Gaza aid ship Kiriakos X, which was sailing from Cyprus.

rainman@fnnews.com Kim Kyung-soo Reporter