Too Long a Tolerance: South Korea’s President Weighs Arrest of Benjamin Netanyahu

SEOUL – South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has instructed his government to consider issuing an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The tough move follows Israel’s military raid on the humanitarian convoy bound for Gaza. In a cabinet meeting held on Wednesday, 20 May 2026, President Lee condemned the seizure of the Global Sumud Flotilla by the Israeli military, in which two South Korean activists were among those aboard. President Lee questioned the international legal basis used by Israel to intercept the vessel carrying aid. He asked whether the vessel had entered Israeli territorial waters or violated legally recognised boundaries. ‘Too many European countries have issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu after the International Criminal Court designated him a war criminal. Let us consider issuing one as well,’ Lee told his cabinet in Seoul, as quoted by Korea JoongAng Daily, via aa.com. He added that there are minimum international norms that must be complied with and that Israel has breached them. ‘They must adhere to the principles; we have tolerated this for far too long,’ he said, according to The Chosun Daily. President Lee also highlighted the legality of Israel’s actions in international law concerning the seizure or sinking of the vessel, particularly those carrying South Korean volunteers engaged in humanitarian work in Gaza. He rhetorically questioned whether Israel’s invasion and occupation of Gaza should not be classified as illegal under international law.