Photos released by South Korea’s Foreign Ministry on May 10 show damage to the stern of the HMM Namu after what the government said were two strikes by unidentified airborne objects, occurring about one minute apart, off the coast of the United Arab Emirates on May 4. The government announced the findings following a joint investigation into the explosion and fire aboard the HMM-operated cargo vessel. (Yonhap)
Photos released by South Korea’s Foreign Ministry on May 10 show damage to the stern of the HMM Namu after what the government said were two strikes by unidentified airborne objects, occurring about one minute apart, off the coast of the United Arab Emirates on May 4. The government announced the findings following a joint investigation into the explosion and fire aboard the HMM-operated cargo vessel. (Yonhap)

South Korea believes that there is little possibility of a non-Iranian actor being behind last week’s attack on a South Korean-operated vessel near the Strait of Hormuz, a senior government official said Thursday.

Speaking to reporters, the senior Foreign Ministry official, requesting anonymity, said the government is gathering evidence related to the May 4 strike on the Panama-flagged HMM Namu, operated by South Korean shipping company HMM.

“While the possibility of another actor besides Iran cannot be completely ruled out, common sense suggests it is unlikely. No pirates were operating nearby,” the official said.

The official cautioned that Seoul has not yet formally attributed responsibility for the attack, emphasizing that any conclusion regarding Iranian involvement would depend on the outcome of ongoing forensic and technical investigations.

South Korean authorities launched a joint probe after preliminary findings indicated that the vessel had likely been struck by two unidentified airborne objects while in waters near the Strait of Hormuz.

The incident severely damaged the ship’s engine section and punctured the stern, underscoring growing concerns in Seoul over the security of commercial shipping routes in the region.

As part of the investigation, the Defense Ministry dispatched a 10-member technical assessment team to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, earlier this week to examine debris recovered at the scene and conduct a detailed scientific analysis to identify the type of weapon used and the party behind the attack.

The official said debris from the propulsion system of the unidentified object has been moved to the South Korean Embassy in the United Arab Emirates and will be transported to Seoul for further analysis, likely aboard a civilian aircraft in a diplomatic pouch.

“Once the debris arrives, I believe the Defense Ministry’s specialized investigative agencies will conduct a thorough analysis and uncover all relevant details,” the official said.

Seoul has also been coordinating closely with Washington throughout the investigation, according to the official.

“We have been communicating closely with the US from the beginning and are obtaining and jointly analyzing information held by the US side,” the official said.

The official dismissed speculation that reported restrictions on aspects of bilateral intelligence sharing between Seoul and Washington could affect cooperation related to the HMM Namu case.

“Linking intelligence-sharing restrictions with this issue is quite an astonishing leap of imagination. I do not think that is the case at all,” the official said.

The official also said Seoul expects “an appropriate response” from Tehran should further evidence point to Iranian involvement.

“At this stage, it is unlikely that Iran would simply come forward and say, ‘We are sorry, we did it,’” the official said. “However, if we conduct further investigations and present evidence, I believe the Iranian side will respond appropriately in one form or another.”

“If the responsible actor is fully identified, we will pursue a proportionate diplomatic response,” the official added.

The official said the HMM Namu marked the 33rd reported attack on a civilian vessel in or near the Strait of Hormuz since the outbreak of the US-Iran conflict. According to the official, another attack targeting a Chinese vessel took place shortly afterward, while a separate attack on a Thai vessel resulted in casualties.

The official noted that Seoul is reviewing diplomatic responses adopted by other countries in similar incidents.

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun told reporters the same day that attacks on civilian vessels, including the HMM Namu, “can never be justified or tolerated under any circumstances.”

Cho said the government plans to conduct additional investigations and pursue necessary diplomatic measures while continuing consultations with relevant countries.

Separately, the senior official said a possible summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during Trump’s ongoing visit to China “cannot be ruled out,” though the official added that “there appears to have been little preparation made.”

“We received relatively detailed explanations regarding the US-China summit from both the American and Chinese sides,” the official said.

“Because it is President Trump, perhaps even more so, summit meetings are always difficult to predict, and unexpected variables can emerge. Since the visit has already begun, we will have to watch closely,” the official added.

Trump arrived in Beijing on Wednesday for a three-day state visit.

The official also addressed ongoing security consultations between Seoul and Washington under the broader bilateral framework that includes discussions on nuclear-powered submarines, uranium enrichment and reprocessing rights.

“Meetings have been delayed somewhat due to various scheduling issues on both sides, but consultations are progressing smoothly behind the scenes,” the official said.

On South Korea-Japan relations, the official suggested another summit between the two countries could take place in the near future, hinting at the possibility of a visit to Seoul by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi as part of ongoing shuttle diplomacy efforts.


mkjung@heraldcorp.com