South Korean President Draws Ire With Anti-IDF Tweet

South Korea’s president has drawn a sharp response from Israel after sharing a video and comments on social media that referenced Israeli military actions and the Holocaust, prompting a rare public dispute between the two countries.

President Lee Jae Myung posted on X on Friday about a 2024 incident in which Israeli soldiers were filmed pushing a body off a building during an operation in Judea and Samaria. In the same post, Lee said there was “no difference” between wartime killings, the Holocaust, and the sexual enslavement of Korean women under Japanese rule, a comparison that drew immediate criticism from Jerusalem.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry responded on Saturday, calling the remarks “unacceptable” and accusing Lee of trivializing the Holocaust on the eve of Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day. The ministry also criticized Lee for resurfacing what it described as an old incident and initially presenting it as current.

According to the ministry, the 2024 episode occurred during a counterterrorism operation in which Israeli forces were facing immediate threats. It added that the incident had been investigated at the time, though no details were provided.

Lee later clarified that the video referred to a real event from September 2024, which had also drawn criticism internationally. He emphasized that international humanitarian law must be upheld in all circumstances and that human dignity should remain a top priority.

The incident in question took place near Jenin, where Israeli forces said they killed four terrorists during an operation. At the time, the IDF described the footage as a serious incident that did not align with military values and said it was under review.

The exchange marks an unusual escalation between Israel and South Korea, which have maintained diplomatic relations for decades. While Israel has faced increasing criticism from European countries over its military campaigns in Gaza and Lebanon, public criticism from East Asian leaders has been less common.

South Korea’s Foreign Ministry later sought to ease tensions, stating that Lee’s remarks were intended as a general expression of concern for human rights and not directed at any specific country. The ministry also reiterated condolences for victims of the Holocaust.

Lee, however, appeared to stand by his broader message in subsequent posts, writing that national sovereignty and universal human rights must both be respected and that “respect must be earned through respect.”

Israel had not issued a response to those later comments as of Sunday.