Asiye Latife Yilmaz
11 April 2026•Update: 11 April 2026
South Korean leader says Israel failed to reflect on global criticism of 'inhumane, unlawful actions' after Israel's remarks
Israel strongly criticized South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Friday for referencing a video alleging Israeli soldiers killed a Palestinian child and threw him from a rooftop, calling it “unacceptable” and deserving of condemnation.
In a statement posted on US social media company X, Israel’s Foreign Ministry claimed that Lee relied on a “fake account” and revived an incident from 2024 that had already been investigated.
“The remarks by the President of Korea, Lee Jae Myung … are unacceptable and warrant strong condemnation,” the ministry said, accusing Lee of trivializing 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.”
It added that the incident occurred during an operation against what it described as terrorists at a time when Israeli soldiers were facing “direct and immediate threats to their lives," and the case had been “thoroughly investigated and addressed.”
“Yet we have not heard a single word from the President about the terrorists who were at the center of this event. Nor have we heard a word from the President regarding the recent Iranian and Hezbollah terror attacks against Israeli citizens,” it added.
Alleged video
Lee shared a video on social media 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 comfort women relate to the era of Japanese occupation of the Korean Peninsula, when women were abused by the invading forces.
The video was posted on X by user Jvnior with the caption: “LIVE FOOTAGE: IDF 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.
“It is disappointing that the Israeli Foreign Ministry has not once reflected on the global community’s criticism of its relentless inhumane and internationally unlawful actions, which have caused immense suffering,” Lee said.
“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.
