The damaged stern of the HMM Namu, a bulk carrier operated by Korean shipper HMM, is seen in this photo released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, May 10, after it was struck by two unidentified objects on May 4 while stranded in the Strait of Hormuz. The upper right photo showing HMM Namu pinpoints the damaged section. Courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Yonhap
The Korean government said Wednesday that Iranian anti-ship missiles attacked a Korean vessel in the Strait of Hormuz earlier this month, based on an inspection by a Korean government team.
It was the first official confirmation by the Korean government about the exact cause of the incident, while there had also been suspicions raised of possible drone attacks.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it would soon call in Iranian Ambassador to Korea Saeed Koozechi to protest.
The announcement was made weeks after HMM Namu, the Panama-flagged cargo ship operated by Korean shipping company HMM, was attacked by two unidentified flying objects on May 4 while being stranded in the strait. The strike rendered the ship inoperable and left one crew member injured, out of a total of 24 members, including six Korean nationals.
While U.S. President Donald Trump said immediately after the attack that Iran shot at the vessel, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cheong Wa Dae had only stated that it was an external attack and remained cautious about identifying who was responsible — a stance seen as a balancing act between Iran and the United States.
Korea dispatched a joint inspection team to Dubai to check the ship's hull and the team brought debris from the unidentified objects back to Korea to determine the exact cause of the incident.
As the probe progressed, Korea began to pinpoint Iran as the attacker, although it kept open the possibility of specific Iranian entities. The Iranian government has denied its involvement.
The waterway has been effectively blockaded by Iran since the outbreak of war with the United States and Israel on Feb. 28. Including HMM Namu, 26 ships in the strait were either Korean-flagged or operated by Korean companies. One crude oil carrier operated by HMM passed through the strait on May 21 without paying any fees.
The attack on the HMM Namu was the 33rd such incident in the waterway, according to the government, adding that previous cases and responses are also being taken into consideration to handle the situation.
Source: Korea Times News
