▲ President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a meeting with senior aides at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on April 9, 2026. (Yonhap)

Lee-human rights

Lee reiterates commitment to upholding human rights following online exchange with Israel

SEOUL, April 12 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung on Sunday reaffirmed his stance on respecting universal human rights amid an online diplomatic exchange between South Korea and Israel, following his posting of a video linked to Israel.

In a post on social media platform X, Lee reiterated his call to uphold human rights, two days after sharing a 2024 video purportedly showing members of the Israel Defense Forces mistreating a Palestinian boy, drawing criticism from Israel.

"The sovereignty of each nation and universal human rights must be respected, and wars of aggression must be rejected, which is both the spirit of our Constitution and an international norm," Lee wrote on X.

"The principle of putting oneself in others' shoes applies not only to individuals but also to relations between countries. Just as my life and property are precious, so too are those of others. Respect begets respect," he added.

On Saturday, Seoul's foreign ministry expressed regret over what it described as a "misunderstanding" by Israel of Lee's remarks, saying his comments reflected "an expression of his convictions regarding universal human rights."

In another post the same day, Lee shared a news report on the Israeli foreign ministry's criticism of his remarks, expressing "disappointment" that Israel had not taken the opportunity to reflect on widespread global concerns over human rights.

Lee also criticized those he accused of undermining national interests for personal gains, calling such actions challenges the nation must overcome.

His remarks were widely seen as an implicit rebuke of opposition lawmakers and some media outlets that said his comments had caused diplomatic friction with Israel.

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