A Korean pastor’s emotional speech at Israel’s parliament in which she begged God to forgive her country for not supporting Israel enough has gone viral, drawing hundreds of thousands of views and a fierce reaction online — with the clip reigniting a global debate about Christian Zionism, foreign policy and the line between sincere faith and political theatre.
The footage, shared widely on X, shows Pastor Rebecca Kim standing at a wooden podium bearing Israel’s official emblem inside the Knesset in Jerusalem, an Israeli flag visible behind her, as she addresses the room with tears in her eyes. “God forgive, forgive nation of Korea who spoke the word against Israel and people in Israel,” she said, her voice breaking. “God forgives those evil things done towards people of God. So even though words were spoken from the government against Israel, I say today: God of Israel, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob is God of Korea. God of both South and North Korea. Today I stand here in the Knesset of Israel. I say Korean government will stand with Israel.”
The speech was delivered at the 10th annual Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast, held at the Knesset between 26 and 28 May. The event, modelled on the US National Prayer Breakfast, brings together government officials, Christian leaders and political influencers from around the world — approximately 38 nations attended this year — with the stated purpose of praying for the “peace of Jerusalem” and building international support for Israel. The gathering was chaired by former Knesset Member Robert Ilatov, co-chaired by former US Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, and directed globally by Albert Veksler. Satellite events have also been held in other locations, including a gathering at Mar-a-Lago earlier in 2026.
Pastor Kim’s speech was part of a recurring feature of the event in which delegates offer prayers of repentance on behalf of their nations for perceived failures to support Israel. Similar speeches were delivered by representatives from Germany and other countries, with many framing their remarks around the biblical principle of Genesis 12:3 — “I will bless those who bless you.”
The clip spread rapidly after being shared by the account @infolibnews, quickly accumulating more than 200,000 views. The reaction was overwhelmingly negative. Many viewers described the scene as a “humiliation ritual,” with one reply reading: “What is this — some kind of humiliation ritual?” Others called it “embarrassing,” “brainwashed” and “the most ridiculous propaganda stunt Israel has done yet.” Some framed their objections in religious terms, with one Christian commenter writing: “What is this deluded nonsense? Lord, give your people wisdom to not debase themselves.” References to the ongoing conflict in Gaza featured prominently in critical replies, and the idea of North Korea standing with Israel drew particular mockery.
A smaller number of replies defended the speech as sincere evangelical intercession and an expression of genuine biblical solidarity, but those voices were heavily outnumbered in the viral threads.
The context behind Pastor Kim’s remarks is not without substance. South Korea has one of the largest evangelical Christian populations in the world, and Korean churches have long maintained close spiritual and institutional ties to Israel, with many congregations emphasising the blessing of Israel as connected to Korea’s own national prayers — including for the reunification of the Korean peninsula. The Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast has featured Korean delegations in previous years, and Pastor Kim’s appearance represents an established strand of Korean Christian Zionism rather than an isolated incident.
Whether viewed as an act of sincere faith or a piece of geopolitical theatre, the clip has served as a lightning rod for one of the most contested arguments in contemporary international Christianity — the degree to which evangelical support for Israel constitutes genuine religious conviction, foreign policy influence, or something else entirely.
