Second Korean Activist Sets Sail for Gaza Strip... Foreign Ministry Continues Protection Measures

The South Korean government has initiated emergency protection measures as Korean activists continue to board vessels bound for the Gaza Strip in protest of the blockade on Palestine.

View of the Gaza Strip from Sderot, Israel. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the civic group "Korean Committee for the Freedom Flotilla for Palestine" on May 10, South Korean activist Kim Donghyun boarded the "Kiriakos X," a vessel belonging to the humanitarian flotilla "Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC)," and departed for the Gaza Strip on May 8. This marks the second such case this year, following the earlier departure of Kim Ahyeon (activist name: Haecho) for the Gaza Strip on May 2.

In particular, Kim Ahyeon had previously been arrested by Israeli forces in October last year while attempting to reach the Gaza Strip, and as a result, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had already invalidated her passport. In contrast, Kim Donghyun joined the activity without prior notice and, therefore, had not been subjected to any separate passport restrictions. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is now closely monitoring the situation and maintaining active communication with Israeli authorities to ensure Kim's safety.

The Gaza Strip is currently designated as a "No Travel Zone (Travel Alert Level 4)" by the South Korean government. Anyone who visits or stays in the area without government approval may face criminal penalties.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.