A diplomatic crisis has erupted between South Korea and Israel following inflammatory social media posts by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung that drew parallels between Israeli military operations and the Nazi Holocaust.
The international incident began Friday when President Lee posted on the social platform X, stating that “wartime killings” conducted by Israeli Defense Forces were “no different from the Jewish massacre” carried out by Nazi forces during World War Two. He also shared video footage claiming it depicted Israeli soldiers torturing and forcing a Palestinian off a building rooftop.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry responded sharply on Saturday, posting that Lee “for some strange reason, chose to dig up a story from 2024.” Israeli officials explained the incident happened during a military operation targeting what they termed “terrorists” and underwent complete investigation.
The ministry condemned Lee for the “trivialization of the massacre of Jews on the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day in Israel,” declaring his statements were “unacceptable and warrant strong condemnation.” Israel observes Yom HaShoah on Monday, honoring the six million Jews killed by the Nazis.
Israeli military officials acknowledged in 2024 they were examining the incident shown in the videos, calling the soldiers’ behavior serious and inconsistent with military standards.
These Friday remarks represent an unusual foray into international affairs on social media for Lee, occurring while his administration deals with rising energy costs following American and Israeli military strikes against Iran. Iran has blocked tanker passage through the Strait of Hormuz, significantly impacting South Korea as a major global oil and gas importer.
While Lee’s posts didn’t reference the Iran conflict directly, he mentioned South Koreans currently experiencing “immense pain and national hardship.”
On Saturday, the president expressed disappointment over Israel’s criticism, saying it was normal to feel sympathy for those who are suffering.
South Korea’s foreign ministry subsequently stated it was unfortunate that Israel “misunderstood” Lee’s comments, which focused on universal human rights principles.
The controversy has also divided domestic opinion in South Korea.
Conservative opposition parties criticized Lee for lacking diplomatic prudence and accused him of applying double standards by remaining silent about North Korean human rights violations. Meanwhile, Lee’s Democratic Party commended him for defending universal human dignity values.
The influential Joongang Ilbo newspaper editorial on Monday suggested Lee should recognize the significant impact of presidential statements and the potential for miscommunication when making unfiltered social media posts about delicate international conflicts.
