South Korea faces growing diplomatic pressure from Israel-Hamas conflict

An Israeli artillery unit fires at an area along the border with Gaza in southern Israel, Wednesday. EPA-Yonhap

South Korea is finding itself in a difficult position as the war between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas escalates further. President Yoon Suk Yeol has condemned Hamas' "indiscriminate" attacks, yet he has not openly expressed support for Israel, in what is viewed as a balancing act amid fears that the ongoing war may expand to a wider Middle East conflict.

During a meeting between Yoon and a six-member U.S. bipartisan Senate delegation led by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer during the latter's visit to Seoul, Wednesday, Schumer urged the South Korean government to stand with Washington in supporting Israel.

Following the Palestinian Islamist militant group's surprise attack on Israel last week, the United States has been providing unwavering support for the Jewish state, including the provision of munitions and deployment of aircraft carriers near the coast of Israel.

"I urged President Yoon to continue to stand with the Israeli people and do all he can to join the U.S. by supporting Israel’s effort to defend itself. I described the atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists," Schumer wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, Thursday.

"I saw he was moved and affirmed South Korea’s commitment to Israel’s security," he added.

But an official statement released by Yoon's office on the meeting with the U.S. Senate delegation did not mention South Korea's commitment to Israel's security.

"The president and the Senate delegation condemned Hamas' indiscriminate attacks on Israel and expressed their empathy for the need for South Korea and the U.S. to play a constructive role in bringing a swift end to the current situation, easing tensions in the region and achieving stability," read the statement released by the presidential office on Wednesday evening.

The somewhat differing tone between the top U.S. senator and the South Korean presidential office suggests that Seoul is trying to maintain a diplomatic balance in the decades-long Israel-Palestine strife, one of the world's most intractable conflicts.

For South Korea, showing explicit support for Israel could come at the risk of strained relations with some Arab nations, particularly Saudi Arabia. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud has stated that his country stands by the Palestinians in their war with Israel.

The South Korean government is actively working to bolster economic ties with Saudi Arabia by helping South Korean companies participate in Saudi Arabia's NEOM smart city project and secure substantial investments from the oil-rich nation.

But at the same time, South Korea is facing pressure to align with its Western allies in the context of its values-based diplomacy. In a joint statement, the U.S., the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy have labeled Hamas' attacks as acts of "terrorism" and vowed steadfast, unified support for Israel.

President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during a meeting with a U.S. Senate delegation led by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, third from front on the right side, at the presidential office in Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of presidential office

Wednesday's statement from the presidential office, however, is notable as it marked Yoon's first official condemnation of Hamas' attack. During a Cabinet meeting held on Tuesday, the president voiced concerns that the ongoing war may potentially affect South Korea's economy, although he fell short of issuing any diplomatic messages.

As the war entered its sixth day, as of Thursday, over 2,000 civilians and soldiers have died on both sides. The Hamas attack has claimed more than 1,200 lives in Israel, according to the Israeli government. About 1,100 people, including at least 326 children, have been killed in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip by Israel's retaliatory strikes, said Gaza's Ministry of Health.

Meanwhile, Russia accused the U.S.' "failed foreign policy" in the Middle East of having escalated the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

China, which has been promoting itself as a regional peacemaker in the Middle East, renewed its support for a “two-state solution” of establishing an independent Palestinian state to achieve peace in the region. But an article published earlier this week in Beijing's English mouthpiece Global Times criticized the U.S.' decision to send weapons and warships to Israel after the Hamas attack, saying it will only fuel the tension.

North Korea has overtly sided with the Palestinians, saying through its state media Rodong Sinmun that the ongoing clash was the result of Israel's "constant criminal acts" against the Palestinian people. It also said that the fundamental way out of the war is to build an independent Palestinian state.