South Korean President’s Post on Gaza Sparks Row with Israel Amid Iran War-Linked Economic Strain

New Delhi: A social media post by South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has triggered a sharp diplomatic exchange with Israel, exposing deeper tensions tied to Seoul’s shifting foreign policy amid the Iran war which has impacted it adversely economically.

The controversy began when President Lee, on Friday, retweeted a post by the account @Jvnior, which captioned footage as live and claimed "IDF soldiers tortured a Palestinian kid and threw him off a roof." Adding his own comment, Lee wrote that he needed "to look into whether this is true, and if so, what measures have been taken."

이게 사실인지, 사실이라면 어떤 조치가 있었는지 알아봐야겠습니다.

우리가 문제삼는 위안부 강제, 유태인 학살이나 전시 살해는 다를 바가 없습니다. https://t.co/owqj9Rg1lk

— 이재명 (@Jaemyung_Lee) April 9, 2026

In the same post, he added, “there is no difference between the wartime killings we have condemned — such as comfort women or the Holocaust — and this.”

The comparison, which placed Japan’s wartime system of sexual slavery alongside the Holocaust and wartime atrocities, drew immediate attention.

Hours later, Lee posted again, saying the footage depicted “a real incident that occurred in September 2024”.

He said the White House had described the episode as “deeply disturbing”, and that US officials, including (then White House National Security Council spokesperson) John Kirby, had called it “despicable and unacceptable”. He added that Israel had “reportedly conducted related investigations and took measures”.

Lee, who leads the liberal Democratic Party of Korea government, said the incident involved a dead body rather than a living person, but argued that the treatment still violated international law. “Even a corpse deserves better treatment,” he wrote.

He added that “international humanitarian law must be upheld” and that “human dignity must be safeguarded as an uncompromising, paramount value”.

Israel’s foreign ministry issued a strongly worded statement criticising the South Korean president’s remarks.

“The remarks by the President of Korea… including the trivialization of the massacre of Jews… are unacceptable and warrant strong condemnation,” it said, noting the timing ahead of Holocaust Remembrance Day.

The ministry said Lee had cited a “fake account” and misrepresented a 2024 incident as current.

It said the episode occurred during an operation against militants, at a time when Israeli soldiers faced “direct and immediate threats to their lives”, and added that it had been “thoroughly investigated and addressed two years ago”.

“Mr President, it’s always better to check before posting,” the statement said.

South Korea’s foreign ministry responded by saying Israel had misunderstood the president’s intent.

“We regret that the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs misunderstood the intent of the President’s remarks,” it said, adding that Lee’s comments reflected “convictions regarding universal human rights rather than an opinion on any specific issue”.

The ministry said South Korea “remains steadfast in its opposition to all forms of violence and anti-humanitarian acts”, while also opposing “the acts of terrorism pointed out by Israel”.

It added that “international humanitarian law and human rights must be upheld without exception” and expressed “deep condolences” to victims of the Holocaust.

Following Israel’s statement, Lee posted again, criticising the response.

<끊임없는 반인권적 반국제법적 행동으로 고통받고 힘들어하는 전 세계인들의 지적을 한번쯤은 되돌아볼 만도 한데 실망입니다.

내가 아프면 타인도 그만큼 아픕니다.

나의 필요 때문에 누군가 고통받으면 미안한 것이 인지상정입니다.

아닌 밤중에 홍두깨라고 아무 잘못없는 우리 국민들께서…

— 이재명 (@Jaemyung_Lee) April 10, 2026

“It is disappointing that they do not even once reflect on the criticisms from people around the world who are suffering due to their continuous anti-human rights and anti-international law actions,” he wrote.

“When I am in pain, others feel that same pain. If someone suffers because of my needs, it is only natural to feel sorry,” he added.

Referring to the broader economic impact of the conflict, Lee said it was “deeply troubling” to watch “the immense suffering and national hardship that our innocent citizens are suddenly facing – like a bolt from the blue”.

Lee also retweeted a detailed post by a young Left politician Park Tae-hoon, who mounted a defence of the president's position.

Analysts said the president’s intervention was unusual given South Korea’s traditionally cautious approach to West Asia.

“South Korea has historically maintained neutrality in Middle Eastern affairs,” political scientist Sangsin Lee wrote on BlueSky, noting that Seoul has ties with both Israel and Iran.

He said the remarks were “highly unusual in this context” and suggested they were shaped by the economic impact of the Iran conflict. “The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has changed the situation,” he said, adding that South Korea was facing “a significant economic blow”.

Referring to South Korean vessels stranded in the region, he said the president’s remarks could also reflect a strategic calculation. “To guarantee safe passage for these vessels during the two-week ceasefire, Lee may be highlighting Israel’s human rights issues as a strategic manoeuvre,” he said.

He added that "criticising the US directly is not a viable option" and that the approach carried risks given South Korea's alliance with Washington.

The ongoing Iran conflict, sparked by US-Israeli airstrikes and Iran's Strait of Hormuz blockade, has laid bare South Korea's acute energy vulnerabilities, as roughly 70 percent of its crude oil imports traverse this vital chokepoint.

A total of 26 South Korean-linked vessels, including oil tankers, remain stranded in the Persian Gulf, reflecting the scale of the disruption to shipping and trade routes. Seoul has dispatched a special envoy to Tehran to negotiate safe passage amid fragile ceasefire talks, while shipping firms coordinate with allies for potential escorted transits.

The economic impact has been immediate and wide-ranging. The benchmark KOSPI index recorded its worst single-session fall in its 43-year history on March 3 crashing 12 percent, while the Korean won dropped to a 17-year low .

The disruption has extended beyond crude oil. About half of South Korea’s naphtha, a key feedstock for petrochemicals, transits through the strait, while supply constraints have also affected helium used in semiconductor manufacturing, with prices rising by more than 40%.

A CSIS report on the economic impact stated South Korea’s strategic petroleum reserves offer limited short-term relief. Government stockpiles would cover about 34 days of actual consumption, with combined public and private reserves extending to roughly 67 days.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has downgraded South Korea’s growth forecast and raised its inflation projection, warning of ripple effects across sectors such as transport, logistics and food.

The episode drew criticism from conservative media and opposition parties.

The conservative newspaper Chosun Ilbo, in an editorial, said the president had shared a “two-year-old fake video” and warned that even the phrase “if true” could amount to criticism without verification.

It said the original 2024 incident involved Israeli forces dropping bodies during a firefight and that claims of torture had been proven false, cautioning that invoking the Holocaust risked diplomatic fallout.

“South Korea relies on Middle Eastern oil and gas but also needs to cooperate with Israel. South Korea is developing a system to intercept North Korean long-range artillery, referencing Israel’s “Iron Dome”,” the newspaper wrote.

Opposition figures echoed the criticism. The opposition right wing People Power Party floor leader Song Eon-seog wrote in a Facebook post the dispute stemmed from “unverified fake news” and questioned whether continuing a diplomatic clash with Israel served national interests. The conservative political parties in South Korea have usually considered Seoul’s alliance with Washington as the key pillar of foreign and security policy, and therefore, it is not surprising that any criticism of Israel has led to this reaction.

The party’s chief spokesperson said the episode had damaged “national dignity and trust”. “The president’s single finger has shattered national dignity and trust,” he added.

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