(The CEN News / Reporter Choi Jang-ho) After Israeli forces captured and detained South Koreans aboard Gaza relief vessels, those nationals were released. The South Korean government said it welcomed Israel’s swift deportation of the citizens.
At a May 21 briefing, Blue House senior spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung said the Lee Jae-myung administration “strongly regrets Israel’s capture and detention of our citizens,” and welcomed Israel’s immediate release of them.
Kang said President Lee Jae-myung expressed deep concern at the Cabinet meeting the previous day about protecting the safety and rights of the detained citizens. She added that the government provided necessary consular assistance and pursued thorough diplomatic measures.
“As a result, Israel immediately deported the two South Korean nationals without placing them in a detention facility,” she said.
Seoul also received a message from Israel saying it hoped the incident would not affect Korea-Israel relations and that bilateral ties would continue to develop.
The government said it used the case to reaffirm its commitment to protecting nationals abroad.
Kang emphasized that President Lee views protecting citizens’ safety and national sovereignty as central to the purpose of the state, and she said the government will prioritize citizens’ lives and safety and respond responsibly.
She added that the government will act with principle and accountability to protect its nationals, including on international human rights issues, and will maintain close diplomatic communication with relevant countries.
The Blue House explained that when the president mentioned an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the previous day, he was pointing to the need for an objective understanding of the situation.
On May 18, the Israeli navy seized the Gaza relief vessel Kyriakos X, which was carrying South Korean activist Kim Dong-hyun, in international waters near Cyprus.
Then, on May 20, the Korea branch of the Voyage for the Liberation of Palestine (KFFP) reported that Israeli forces seized the Lina Al Nabulsi, which was carrying South Korean activist Kim Ah-hyun and Korean-American Jonathan Victor Lee, in waters near Gaza.
At the Cabinet meeting, President Lee criticized the Israeli military’s actions, saying they “violate even the most basic international norms.”
Photo: Yonhap News
(The CEN News) Reporter Choi Jang-ho chlwkdgh1997@naver.com
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