April 27, 2026
SEOUL – Israel has never been a contentious issue in South Korea — until President Lee Jae Myung posted a short message on X earlier this month. Sharing a video that appeared to show Israeli soldiers dropping the body of a deceased Palestinian boy from a rooftop, Lee questioned whether the footage was real.
“If so, this is not different from the forced sex slavery (by Japan during World War II) or the Jewish Holocaust that we take issue with,” he said. His remarks immediately drew a harsh response from Israel’s Foreign Ministry, which condemned them as “unacceptable.”
The rare diplomatic row did not escalate into a full-blown confrontation, but it ignited a heated domestic debate over the appropriateness of Lee’s comments. His supporters viewed them as a brave statement in defense of universal human rights. Some also interpreted them as “pragmatic diplomacy” aimed at appealing to Gulf states that supply the bulk of Korea’s energy.
Critics, however, denounced the remarks as an “international embarrassment” rooted in “ignorance,” noting that Lee had apparently believed the victim was alive when dropped. Others argued that comparing the incident to the Holocaust was excessive.
The debate, however, reflects a deeper and more profound divide within Korean society. Since Israel’s war in Gaza in 2023, many Koreans have grown increasingly uneasy about the level of violence inflicted on Palestinian civilians. As casualties mounted, a rare pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel sentiment began to emerge in a country where Israel had long been seen as a friendly nation sharing similar democratic values. That sentiment intensified further as the US and Israeli military actions in Iran caused economic disruptions in Korea, which depends heavily on Middle Eastern energy supplies.
Such anti-Israel sentiment runs counter to Korea’s decadeslong alignment with the foreign policy of its key ally, the United States. Many conservative Koreans, particularly older generations, strongly associate Israel with the US, seeing both as sharing democratic and Judeo-Christian values. It is not uncommon to see conservative protesters rallying against progressive governments — such as that of President Lee — waving both American and Israeli flags as symbols of solidarity. That sense of camaraderie, however, is increasingly challenged by younger, more liberal Koreans who are disillusioned by what they see as the US government’s uncritical support for Israel’s assertive foreign policy, particularly under President Trump.
This trend is not unique to Korea. Across much of the world, Israel appears to be losing friends and gaining new foes, largely due to its increasingly forceful posture toward its neighbors. According to a 2025 survey of 24 countries by the Pew Research Center, 62 percent of respondents expressed unfavorable views of Israel. Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in 2023, Israel’s global favorability has declined in 42 out of 43 countries surveyed. Negative perceptions have deepened across the Global South and in much of Europe. In Sweden, Spain and other Western European countries that were once relatively supportive, unfavorable views often exceed 70 percent.
Perhaps the most striking shift, however, is occurring in the United States. In the latest Pew survey, unfavorable views of Israel among Americans rose to a record 53 percent. Among Democrats, the figure reaches a striking 80 percent, compared to 41 percent among Republicans. A generational divide is also evident: Only 41 percent of Americans aged 18 to 29 view Israel favorably, compared to 69 percent among those aged 65 and older. Even among Jewish Americans, attitudes toward Israel are becoming more critical. Senator Bernie Sanders, himself Jewish, recently condemned Israel’s military actions in an opinion piece for The Guardian titled “No More US Military Aid to Israel.”
Despite these shifts, the United States remains Israel’s staunchest and most generous ally. Providing roughly $3 billion in military aid annually, Washington has given Israel an estimated $300 billion in various forms of support since World War II. US officials justify this assistance by citing Israel’s strategic importance as a cornerstone of American policy in the Middle East, particularly in countering rival powers. Strong Israeli lobbying and public diplomacy in the United States have also helped sustain this support. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, in particular, is well known for its influential lobbying efforts, leveraging extensive fundraising networks and longstanding ties in Congress. Its success has long been closely watched by countries like Korea that depend heavily on the United States for security.
Yet the decline in Israel’s reputation in the US suggests that such lobbying efforts are facing growing limitations. While influence among policymakers in Washington remains strong, public opinion at the grassroots level is shifting. In the age of social media — where powerful images from conflict zones spread rapidly and shape perceptions — Israel’s military actions often undermine its broader public image. As a result, perceptions of Israel in the United States, as elsewhere, are becoming increasingly polarized between supporters and critics.
This brings us back to Korea. President Lee’s remarks on Israel have also elicited sharply divided reactions. Older, conservative Koreans are likely to continue viewing Israel favorably, especially as long as it remains closely aligned with the United States. Younger, more liberal generations, however, may increasingly align with global critics of Israel, condemning what they see as its aggressive foreign policy.
Lee Byung-jong
Lee Byung-jong is a former Seoul correspondent for Newsweek, The Associated Press and Bloomberg News. He is a professor at the School of Global Service at Sookmyung Women’s University in Seoul. The views expressed here are the writer’s own. — Ed.