South Korea welcomes release of Gaza activists

South Korea’s presidential office said Thurssday that two South Korean activists detained by Israeli forces while traveling aboard a humanitarian aid vessel bound for the Gaza Strip had been released. The announcement came one day after President Lee Jae-myung criticized Israel’s seizure of the ship during a televised Cabinet meeting.

“The government will fulfill its responsibility to protect the lives and safety of its citizens by placing their well-being first,” the presidential office said.

Speaking at a briefing, senior presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung expressed “strong regret” over Israel’s detention of the South Korean nationals following the interception of the vessel. “At the same time, we highly appreciate and welcome Israel’s immediate release of our citizens,” Kang said.

The two activists, Kim Dong-hyun and Kim Ah-hyun, are expected to arrive in South Korea on Friday morning after passing through a third country. Kim Ah-hyun was also detained by Israeli forces in October last year before being released. South Korea’s Foreign Ministry later invalidated the activist’s passport.

Kang said Lee voiced serious concerns during Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting over the safety and rights of the detained citizens while emphasizing the importance of international norms, including international humanitarian law.

“The government provided all necessary consular support and diplomatic efforts,” Kang said. “As a result, the Israeli side arranged for the two South Korean citizens to be deported immediately without being sent to a detention facility.”

She added that after Lee’s remarks at the Cabinet meeting, Israeli authorities chose to deport the South Korean nationals directly rather than place them in custody.

According to Kang, Israel also expressed hope that the incident would not affect bilateral relations and that ties between South Korea and Israel would continue to deepen.

“The government will respond responsibly and in line with its principles to protect international human rights and the safety of our citizens,” Kang said. “We will also maintain close diplomatic communication with the countries involved.”

During Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting, Lee referred to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a “war criminal” and instructed officials to review the possible enforcement of an arrest warrant issued against Netanyahu by the International Criminal Court. Kang later said Lee’s remarks were intended to underscore the need for an objective understanding of the situation.


Hoon-Sang Park tigermask@donga.com