President Lee Jae Myung has ordered “all-out diplomatic efforts” to secure the release of a South Korean national detained by Israeli forces after the interception of a Gaza-bound aid ship. The vessel, part of the “Thousand Madleens to Gaza” flotilla, was seized early Wednesday while attempting to breach Israel’s naval blockade in the Mediterranean Sea.
The detainee, 27-year-old Kim Ah-hyun, was among scores of activists from around 30 countries, including doctors, politicians, and three Turkish lawmakers, carrying humanitarian aid for Gaza’s hospitals. In a video posted from the ship, Kim appealed for urgent government action to ensure his safe return.
South Korea’s government and embassy in Israel are in close contact with Israeli authorities. The Israeli Foreign Ministry said the seizure was due to the flotilla attempting to enter a combat zone without permission and confirmed the activists will be deported. This incident follows a similar interception earlier this month, when another aid flotilla was stopped and its passengers, including Greta Thunberg, detained and deported.
