South Korean president vows respect for ‘universal human rights’ amid online exchanges with Israel

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Sunday reiterated his stance on respecting universal human rights amid an online diplomatic exchange between Seoul and Tel Aviv, following his posting of a video linked to Israel, local media reported.

Lee, in a post on US social media platform X, reaffirmed his call to uphold human rights, two days after sharing a 2024 video showing members of the Israel Defense Forces mistreating a Palestinian boy.

His move drew 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.

“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, South Korea’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.”