Blue House Welcomes Israel's Release of Our Citizens

The Blue House said on the 21st that it welcomed the release of two South Koreans who had been detained by Israeli authorities after boarding a humanitarian ship bound for the Gaza Strip.
At a briefing at the Chunchugwan Press Center, Blue House senior spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung said, "The Lee Jae Myung administration strongly regrets that Israel detained our citizens by seizing the aid vessel bound for the Gaza Strip." She added, "However, we highly value and welcome Israel's immediate release of our citizens."
Kang said, "President Lee Jae Myung expressed serious concern yesterday at the State Council of South Korea over the safety and rights of our detained citizens, and once again stressed the importance of international norms, including international humanitarian law." She added, "Accordingly, the government made every effort to provide the necessary consular assistance and diplomatic response."
She went on to say, "As a result, Israel specifically deported the two South Korean nationals directly, without taking them through a detention facility." She added that Israel said it hoped the issue would not affect South Korea-Israel relations and that the two countries would continue to develop their ties. Earlier, at the State Council and Emergency Economic Review Meeting the previous day, President Lee had referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in connection with the detention of South Korean citizens. "Didn't many European countries issue arrest warrants and say they would arrest Netanyahu if he entered their territory?" he said. "We should consider that as well."
Meanwhile, at a Senior Presidential Aides Meeting held at the Blue House on the same day, President Lee stressed that the poisonous weeds that glorify state violence and mock and insult victims must be rooted out completely. He also urged the government to swiftly complete legislation that would fundamentally exclude statutes of limitations for criminal prosecution and civil damages claims in cases of state violence.
cjk@fnnews.com Choi Jong-geun, Seong Seok-woo Reporter