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Lee asks Israel to 'reflect' on global criticism following foreign ministry's 'disappointing' response

Published: 11 Apr. 2026, 12:01 Updated: 11 Apr. 2026, 14:11

JIN MIN-JI
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President Lee Jae Myung gives a speech on the government's first supplemetary budget bill of 2026 at the National Assembly in Seoul Thursday, April 2. [AP/YONHAP]

President Lee Jae Myung on Saturday rebuffed criticism from Israel’s foreign ministry over his recent remarks on anti-human rights, calling the response “disappointing.”

Lee said that Israel should “reflect on the criticisms from people around the world,” who, he argued, are suffering due to “endless actions that violate human rights and international law,” he wrote on social media X.

It was a direct response to criticism from Israel’s foreign ministry earlier in the day over a video Lee had reposted showing Israeli soldiers throwing a body from a rooftop. Citing issues such as comfort women and the Holocaust, Lee said the footage — depicting an incident from September 2024 — had also been condemned at the time by the White House.

“If someone suffers because of my own needs, it is only natural to feel sorry,” he wrote on Saturday, adding that it is “deeply distressing” to witness innocent Koreans facing “immense suffering and national hardship” without cause. He added that he would “seek to do more in support of universal human rights and Korea’s national interests.”

Korea’s foreign ministry echoed Lee’s stance, expressing regret over Israel’s response.

“We regret that the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs misunderstood the intent of the President's remarks — which were an expression of his convictions regarding universal human rights rather than an opinion on any specific issue — and subsequently countered them,” said Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement.

“The Government of the Republic of Korea remains steadfast in its opposition to all forms of violence and anti-humanitarian acts, including the acts of terrorism pointed out by Israel.” It added, “We continue to empathize deeply with the unspeakable suffering endured by Israel due to the Holocaust, and we once again express our profound condolences to the victims of the Holocaust.”

Earlier in the day, Israel’s Foreign Ministry criticized Lee for sharing the video, saying that “the event discussed occurred during an operation against terrorists, at a time when Israeli soldiers were facing direct and immediate threats to their lives.”

It added “the event was thoroughly investigated and addressed two years ago,” while urging Lee to always “check before posting.”

BY JIN MIN-JI [[email protected]]