President Lee Faces Controversy Over Sharing Old Video

President Lee on the 10th criticized civilian killings during wartime by sharing a video on his X (formerly Twitter) account that depicted soldiers searching a building and pushing a person off a rooftop. He commented on the video, stating, "It is no different from the forced recruitment of comfort women, the Holocaust, or wartime killings," and expressed a desire to ascertain whether the footage was real and what actions were taken if it was. The video was accompanied by a description claiming it showed Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) torturing and pushing a Palestinian child off a rooftop.

About three hours after the initial post, President Lee corrected the information, confirming that the video depicted a real event that occurred in September 2024 and that Israeli authorities had initiated an investigation. He also emphasized that "international humanitarian law must be observed under all circumstances, and human dignity is an inviolable top priority."

Jang Dong-hyuk, a representative from the People Power Party, criticized the video, stating it was an old foreign press report unrelated to current conflicts, depicting the disposal of bodies of deceased Palestinian combatants. Representative Na Kyung-won accused the president of becoming a purveyor of fake news to the international community by sharing unverified footage and pointed to a lack of fact-checking by his staff.

Cheong Wa Dae (Blue House) spokesperson Jeon Eun-su explained that social media videos are often circulated without a specified timeline and requested understanding that the president's intention was to prevent the repetition of tragic histories.

The controversial video was confirmed to be a real incident from September 2024 during an operation in Gaza, where Israeli soldiers dropped bodies from a rooftop, prompting an investigation by the Israeli military at the time.