Seoul condemns strike on vessel in Hormuz as probe continues

SEOUL – South Korea strongly condemned what it described as an attack on a civilian cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz after a government investigation found the ship was struck by unidentified objects, though it stopped short of assigning blame.

“Attacks on civilian vessels such as HMM Namu cannot be justified or tolerated,” presidential security adviser Wi Sung-lac told reporters on May 11. “We’ll seek through further investigation to identify the party responsible for the attack, the exact type of projectile and its physical size.”

Mr Wi said South Korea would decide on its response once further analysis identifies the attacker and the type of projectile involved. He added that Seoul would continue coordinating with related countries and strengthen protection for South Korean ships and crews operating near the strait.

A South Korean government joint investigation found that two “unidentified aerial objects” struck the stern of the HMM Namu about one minute apart on May 4 local time, while the vessel was anchored near the United Arab Emirates side of the Strait of Hormuz, according to the Foreign Ministry. 

The ministry said the strikes shook the vessel and caused flames and smoke, leaving a crater in the ship’s outer hull some 5m wide and up to 7m deep. Investigators said CCTV footage captured the flying objects, though the authorities remain unable to determine whether they were drones or missiles, or identify who launched them. 

“We are not making any assumptions at this stage about who is responsible for the attack,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Park Il said at a briefing on May 10, citing field inspections, CCTV analysis and interviews with the ship’s captain. “The cause of the fire is believed to be unrelated to the inside of the vessel.”

The South Korean joint investigation team, made up of three maritime investigators and four fire forensics experts, arrived in Dubai on May 7, the same day the HMM Namu docked at port, and carried out a day-long on-site inspection of the vessel on May 8. Debris believed to be from the objects’ engines has been recovered and will undergo further analysis, the spokesperson said. He added that the damage pattern made a mine or torpedo strike unlikely. 

The findings raise pressure on Seoul as the US pushes allies to contribute more to maritime security efforts around the Strait of Hormuz following escalating tensions tied to the conflict in Iran.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump had claimed the fire was caused by an Iranian attack and urged South Korea to play a greater role in protecting shipping lanes in the region. The investigation is under way as South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back arrived in Washington for talks with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on May 11.

The meeting between Mr Ahn and Mr Hegseth is expected to cover issues including the transfer of wartime operational control and cooperation on nuclear-powered submarines, which was included in the US$350 billion (S$444 billion) tariff agreement during the 2025 summit.

The two may also discuss cooperation to restore freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz as Iran continues disruptions in the area. BLOOMBERG