South Korea Endorses IHRA Definition of Antisemitism

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August 6, 2021, 6 AM ET

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South Korea’s Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong told his Israeli counterpart, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, during a phone call this week that the East Asian nation has adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of anti-Semitism. The news was shared on Wednesday on Twitter by Akiva Tor, Israel’s Ambassador to the Republic of Korea. He said Eui-yong and Lapid talked earlier in the day, and had “a great conversation.”

(1/2) Foreign Ministers ?? Chung Eui-yong and ?? Yair Lapid had a great conversation this afternoon. They spoke about COVID cooperation and rapid ratification of the @Israel – #Korea FTA. FM Chung informed @yairlapid that ROK endorses the IHRA working definition of antisemitism, pic.twitter.com/DdjJNWhP64
— Akiva Tor (@AkivaTor) August 4, 2021

The foreign ministers also discussed “COVID-19 cooperation and rapid ratification” of the free-trade agreement that Israel and South Korea signed in May. South Korea is the first country in Asia to endorse the official definition, reported Tor. According to the IHRA website, 29 other countries have already adopted or endorsed the definition, including Belgium, Lithuania, Sweden and Uruguay. The IHRA working definition of anti-Semitism states that: “Anti-Semitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of anti-Semitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”