Iranian Ambassador to Korea Saeed Koozechi arrives at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul, Wednesday, after being summoned over the missile strike on the HMM-operated bulk carrier Namu near the Strait of Hormuz. Yonhap
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday that the projectile that struck the HMM-operated bulk carrier Namu in the Strait of Hormuz was highly likely an Iranian-made Noor-series anti-ship missile. This photo provided by the ministry shows the engine recovered from the projectile. Courtesy of the ministry
Korea faces a narrow set of realistic options in responding to the likely strike on a Korean-operated vessel by an Iran-linked anti-ship missile near the Strait of Hormuz earlier this month, with experts saying military measures are effectively off the table and diplomatic pressure the only viable path — even as Washington's calls for greater Korean involvement in regional maritime operations grow louder.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Wednesday that a joint government investigation team found strong evidence suggesting the projectile that struck the vessel belonged to Iran’s Noor series of anti-ship missiles. The government cited missile debris, explosive residue and structural analysis of the blast site as part of the basis for its assessment.
Seoul, however, stopped short of directly accusing the Iranian government of carrying out the attack, saying only that the missile was “Iran-linked” and declining to specify whether the launch may have involved Iran’s military, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps or an Iran-backed militia group.
Doo Jin-ho, director of the Eurasia Research Center at the Korea Institute for National Strategy, said Korea’s realistic response options would likely remain centered on diplomacy rather than military measures.
“Military options are difficult in reality,” Doo said. “If Seoul moves in that direction, it could effectively end up being drawn deeper into the Hormuz situation and broader U.S.-led maritime operations.”
Doo said the summoning of the Iranian ambassador to Korea was likely only the beginning of Seoul’s diplomatic response, adding that additional pressure could come through coordination with the international community.
He also raised the possibility of indirect economic pressure involving Iranian frozen assets, saying Seoul and its partners could consider delaying future discussions over sanctions relief or asset releases until the incident is more fully clarified.
Still, the more immediate concern for Seoul appears to be the safety of the roughly two dozen Korean-linked vessels that remain in nearby waters.
Source: Korea Times News
