South Korean President Criticizes Israel’s Actions Amid Gaza Crisis: What You Need to Know

President Lee Jae-myung on May 20 sharply criticized Israel over the seizure of a relief flotilla carrying South Korean activists as it approached the Gaza Strip, saying, “They are violating even the most basic international norms.”

He went so far as to invoke the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, delivering a pointed rebuke.

At a cabinet meeting he chaired at the Blue House that day, the president called Israel’s actions inhumane and excessive.

After Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jin-ah briefed him on emergency response plans for the Middle East conflict, the president said, “It may not directly involve us, but we should discuss it,” and asked for an explanation of the seizure.

He pressed, “What is the legal basis for the seizure? Were those Israeli territorial waters? The Gaza Strip the ship was heading to isn’t part of Israel—did they infringe on Israeli sovereignty?”

When Vice Minister Kim hesitated, National Security Office Director Wi Seong-rak replied that Israel exerts military control over the Gaza area and is restricting access. The president replied, “That’s not Israeli territorial waters,” and demanded further clarification.

The president asked, “How do belligerent states behave toward one another? We’re not a party to this, yet they seized, arrested and detained a third-country vessel that was attempting to deliver aid or volunteer—is that justified?”

Wi said Israel described the action as enforcing access controls. The president shot back, “Is it their land? Is it Israeli territorial waters? Shouldn’t we lodge a protest? If two countries are at war, can they simply seize third-country ships? Isn’t there basic legal principle and common sense?”

Even after Wi said he would review the matter from various angles and report back, the president insisted they act on principle. “We’ve been patient enough,” he said, criticizing the move as going far beyond acceptable limits.

During the discussion, the president also questioned whether the Gaza war constituted an unlawful invasion under international law. Wi responded that the matter required close examination and noted that the conflict was triggered when Hamas attacked Israel, killing nearly 2,000 people.