ANKARA

The Israeli Embassy in Seoul has removed a controversial video from social media channels following strong reactions from South Koreans, according to media reports Wednesday.

The embassy uploaded a video Tuesday that featured an imaginary attack on Seoul on Christmas by the Palestinian group, Hamas. It prompted a strong reaction from the South Korean government, said Seoul-based Yonhap News.

South Korean Foreign Ministry said it cannot justify an attack on Israel but it was not appropriate for the embassy to produce and distribute a video comparing what is happening in their country’s region to another country.

"We conveyed our position to the Israeli Embassy in Korea, and the Israeli side deleted the video," Yonhap News quoted the Foreign Ministry.

The embassy said it posted the footage to give the Korean people a better understanding of the situation in their region.

Hundreds of South Koreans also staged a protest Wednesday against Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip and marched from the Israeli Embassy to the US Embassy in Seoul.

A video posted by the Quds News Network on X showed protesters with placards and banners denouncing US support for the Israeli "aggression" against Gaza.

A banner that said: "No to ROK (Republic of Korea) military Intervention in the Red Sea," can be seen being carried by protesters, in reference to attacks in the southern Red Sea.

Last week, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced the creation of a multinational naval task force to counter Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea.

According to the US announcement, so far NATO nations the UK, Canada, France, Italy, Norway, and the Netherlands pledged support for the Operation Prosperity Guardian to defend merchant ships transiting between Asia and Europe. But Australia last week refused to send a warship to support the US-led coalition.

South Korea, a close ally of the US, has so far not announced it would join the coalition, however, last week, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Seoul is considering various measures to contribute to maritime security in the Red Sea.

Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have significantly stepped up their involvement in the current conflict in the Gaza Strip by targeting vessels in the southern Red Sea, saying the move is in solidarity with “the Palestinian resistance in the Gaza Strip.”

The Red Sea is one of the world's most frequently used sea routes for oil and fuel shipments.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid