South Korea Monday voiced concern that Israel's assassination of a top Hamas leader over the weekend may further escalate tension in the region.

Abdel Aziz Rantisi, leader of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, was killed Saturday by an Israeli missile strike.

"The South Korean government is concerned about the possibility of the killing of new Hamas leader Rantisi causing a vicious circle of revenge between Israel and Palestine and further increasing tension in the region," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Shin Bong-kil in a statement.

"Our government opposes any violence that mars peace and stability in the Middle East and is convinced that peace talks between directly concerned parties is the only effective way to bring permanent peace to the region," he said.

Rantisi's death comes less than a month after Hamas spiritual leader Sheik Ahmed Yassin was killed in a similar attack.