South Korean President Lee Jae-myung claimed that Israel "kidnapped" citizens of his country from the Global Sumud flotilla ships that the navy seized while they were en route from Turkey to the Gaza Strip.
"They did this under unjust circumstances and contrary to international law," the Korean president accused. Lee added that "the Israeli action was excessive, Israel overstepped the bounds."
"The detention of our citizens was in international waters; this is an action that completely departs from the norm," he said. He then attacked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: "Many countries in Europe are willing to arrest him under warrants from the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Seoul must consider its position on the matter."
The IDF completed yesterday the seizure of the anti-Israeli flotilla that set out from the port of Marmaris in Turkey. Shayetet 13 and Shayetet 3 forces seized the boats in the area of Cyprus - a considerable distance from Israel's territorial waters.
During the boarding operations the Israeli soldiers fired rubber bullets in some cases to deter several ships that did not comply with orders and did not stop, but, according to the IDF, no injuries or unusual incidents were reported during the operation.