South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has expressed disappointment toward Israel’s Foreign Ministry after it criticised his social media post featuring what appeared to be a video of Israeli soldiers throwing a body of a Palestinian from a rooftop in the occupied West Bank.
In another post on X on Saturday, Lee wrote: "One would think that, even just once, it would be worth reflecting on criticism from people around the world who are suffering due to these ceaseless actions that violate human rights and international law."
Lee’s comments followed a post by the Israeli Foreign Ministry on X, which accused him of digging up a story from 2024 and presenting it as a current event.
Lee in his X posts on Friday did not make a direct comment on the ongoing war in the Middle East or Israel’s military attacks on Iran but said "lessons marked on the painful wounds of the past must not be repeated as recurring tragedies."
Earlier, Israeli Foreign Ministry said, "The remarks by the President of Korea, Lee Jae Myung … are unacceptable and warrant strong condemnation," accusing Lee of trivialising the massacre of Jews on the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day in Israel.
The statement claimed that the video cited by Lee was misrepresented as a current event by sources known for spreading "anti-Israeli disinformation."
Heed global criticism over humanitarian concerns
Lee shared the video on social media on Friday saying Israeli soldiers abused a Palestinian child and then threw him off a rooftop.
In a post on X, Lee said it is necessary to determine the authenticity of the video and assess what actions were taken, stressing the seriousness of the allegations.
"Wartime homicide is no different from matters that we take issue with, such as the forced (enslavement of) comfort women, and the massacre of Jewish people," he said.
The video was posted on X by user Jvnior with the caption: "LIVE FOOTAGE: IDF (Israeli army) soldiers tortured a Palestinian kid and threw him off a roof. They call themselves ‘the most moral army.’"
Lee said in a separate post that the incident occurred in September 2024.
He added that the White House had described the incident as "disturbing," while Israel said an investigation had been carried out and measures taken in response.
In a subsequent post, Lee shared a news report related to Israel’s remarks and expressed disappointment about the "continued violations of human rights and international law," saying global criticism should be taken into account.
"For the sake of universal human rights and the national interests of the Republic of Korea, I must work harder to find things I can do," he said.
