The South Korean government officially announced on May 10 that the fire on the HMM Namoo, a Korean vessel, was caused by an unidentified aerial object that struck the ship on May 4 in the Strait of Hormuz.
Park Il, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated during a briefing that the joint investigation team confirmed that an unidentified object hit the stern of the HMM Namoo. He noted that while CCTV footage captured the object, there are limitations in identifying the launch entity, exact type, and physical size of the object.
According to the government’s detailed investigation, which included CCTV review and interviews with the captain, two unidentified objects struck the port side of the HMM Namoo's ballast tank approximately one minute apart at around 3:30 PM on May 4.
The impacts caused flames and smoke, with the fire igniting from the first strike and rapidly spreading due to the second strike. Park indicated that the cause of the fire is presumed to be unrelated to the ship's interior.
The area of impact sustained damage measuring approximately 5 meters wide and 7 meters deep, with the hull bending inward.
Park explained, "The damaged area is located 1 to 1.5 meters above sea level, and considering the damage pattern from explosive pressure and the hemispherical penetration shape, the likelihood of a mine or torpedo strike appears low."
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs added that they plan to conduct further analysis on the recovered debris from the aerial object.
Park emphasized, "We will not make assumptions about the entity behind this attack at this time." A multi-agency meeting was held later that afternoon to discuss the investigation results.
He also stated, "The government is committed to thoroughly identifying the cause of this incident and will pursue all possible measures, including cooperation with the international community, to ensure the safety of our citizens," adding that they are closely reviewing participation in U.S. maritime freedom initiatives.
Meanwhile, images captured showed Iranian Ambassador to South Korea, Saeed Koozechi, arriving at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the same day.
Despite the lack of a specified entity behind the attack, Park commented on the ambassador's visit, stating, "We are communicating with relevant countries based on verified facts, and since Iran is one of those countries, the ambassador's visit was to explain our investigation results." Koozechi reportedly met with First Vice Minister Park Yoon-joo.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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