Political clash erupts over Lee’s Israel comments

Apr 14, 2026, 09:00 am

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Jung Cheong-rae speaks during a Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly on April 13, expressing support for President Lee Jae-myung’s remarks. / Song Eui-joo

South Korea’s ruling and opposition parties clashed sharply on April 13 over President Lee Jae-myung’s critical remarks on Israel, highlighting deep political divisions over foreign policy.

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea and its allies defended Lee’s comments as a legitimate stance grounded in international human rights and independent diplomacy. In contrast, the opposition People Power Party accused the president of fueling diplomatic controversy by citing unverified social media posts, calling his actions inappropriate and harmful to national interests.

Jung Cheong-rae voiced strong support during a party meeting, saying Lee’s position “will mark a milestone in South Korea’s diplomatic history.” He added that foreign policy should not become a subject of partisan conflict.

Park Chan-dae, the party’s candidate for Incheon mayor, also defended the president, stating that universal human rights and respect for sovereignty are core principles of the Constitution. He criticized the opposition for denying such universal values.

Support from pro-government figures continued. Cho Kuk said Lee’s criticism of Israel was “valid from the perspective of international human rights law and meaningful in terms of national interest within realistic global politics.”

The opposition, however, intensified its criticism. Jang Dong-hyuk, currently visiting Washington, wrote on Facebook that Lee had labeled concerned citizens as “traitors.” He added that referencing a two-year-old piece of misinformation and comparing the Middle East conflict to the Holocaust was “something that should never have been done.”

Jang further accused the president of using diplomacy as a tool to divide the public, saying citizens would recognize who is harming national interests for personal gain.

Other opposition figures echoed similar concerns. Na Kyung-won criticized Lee for refusing to apologize despite spreading false information, while Ahn Cheol-soo urged the president to “stop acts that harm national interests,” noting that Israel is a country with which South Korea has a free trade agreement.

Lawmakers from the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee also issued a statement calling on the president to refrain from what they described as impulsive remarks that could undermine national interests.

#Lee Jae-myung #Israel criticism #Korean politics #ruling party #opposition party