Diplomatic scandal between Seoul and Tel Aviv, after a clip published by the president of South Korea

South Korean leader Lee Jae Myung sparked a diplomatic row after posting a video of Israeli soldiers in the West Bank. Israel reacted harshly after he compared the incident to the Holocaust, according to CNN.

The video, which dates back to September 2024, captures Israeli soldiers throwing a body from a building in the town of Qabatya in the occupied West Bank.

“We need to check if this is true, and if it is, we should find out what measures have been taken,” President Lee Jae Myung said in a post on X on Friday. His message sparked a rare public spat between the two countries, which have had diplomatic relations for 60 years.

Lee argued that “there is no difference” between these executions, the Holocaust, and the sexual slavery of women during the Japanese occupation of Korea from 1910 to 1945.

CNN notes that the Holocaust reference appears to have angered the Israeli Foreign Ministry, which responded with a post on X on Saturday.

“The statements of Korean President Lee Jae Myung, including the trivialization of the massacre of Jews on the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day in Israel, are unacceptable and deserve firm condemnation,” the Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The Foreign Ministry statement added that, “for reasons unknown,” Lee chose to “discover a story from 2024 and cite a false account that falsely presented it as a current event.”

The incident involving the soldiers took place during an operation “at a time when Israeli soldiers were facing direct and immediate threats to their lives” and was “thoroughly investigated and resolved two years ago,” the post said, without giving details on the outcome of the investigation.

“Mr. President, it is always better to check before you post,” the Israeli ministry added.

Lee later clarified his claims, stating that the event took place in September 2024 and was condemned by the United States. He emphasized that “international humanitarian law must be respected in all circumstances” and human dignity must remain a priority value.

CNN reported in 2024 that residents of Qabatya, near Jenin in the occupied West Bank, filmed Israeli soldiers throwing apparently lifeless bodies from a building on September 19 of that year. The same day, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said they had killed four militants in an “anti-terrorist operation” in the area.

Asked at the time about the video, the Israeli military said it showed a “serious incident that does not correspond to IDF values ​​and expectations of IDF soldiers.” The incident was then under investigation.

Under international law, the armed forces have an obligation to treat the bodies of enemy soldiers with respect and return them to the families of the deceased. A Palestinian politician described the way the bodies were treated as “barbaric”.

Israel has faced increasing international criticism over the war in Gaza and the bombing of Lebanon that targeted Hezbollah. European countries have been particularly vocal. But it is far less common for an East Asian leader to voice criticism so publicly, and South Korea has tended to maintain good relations with Israel.

The counters continued

This weekend, Lee appeared to reinforce his position, publishing an article on Saturday about the Israeli Foreign Ministry's response without directly referring to it.

“It's disappointing that criticism from people around the world who are suffering is not even considered,” Lee said, adding that “when I suffer, others feel that pain just as deeply.”

In an apparent attempt to calm spirits, South Korea's Foreign Ministry intervened in the dispute, expressing regret that the Israeli government “misunderstood the intent” of the president's remarks.

The institution stated that the messages were “an expression of its beliefs about universal human rights, rather than an opinion on a specific issue”. The communiqué ended by reiterating deep condolences to the victims of the Holocaust.

But on Sunday, Lee appeared to restate his original message: “Every country's sovereignty and universal human rights must be respected, and war of aggression must be rejected,” he wrote on X, concluding that “respect must be earned through respect.” Israel has not yet responded to this latest post.