Seoul: The debris from airborne objects that struck an HMM-operated vessel in the Strait of Hormuz last week arrived in South Korea to undergo analysis, the foreign ministry said. The debris was flown in following consultations with the United Arab Emirates government and will be closely analyzed by specialized agencies, it said in a notice to the press.
According to Yonhap News Agency, an on-site inspection conducted last weekend found that the HMM Namu, a Panama-flagged cargo ship operated by South Korean shipping firm HMM Co., was struck by two airborne objects while stranded in the strait on May 4. This incident led to an explosion and fire on board. The government has yet to identify the objects or who was behind the attack.
A senior government official noted that the possibility of the attack being launched by an actor other than Iran was "not high." The official emphasized that a "commensurate diplomatic offensive" would be needed once the perpetrator was identified. The strike marks the 33rd attack on a civilian vessel since the war in the Middle East began with the United States and Israel's attack on Iran on February 28. Seoul is reviewing how other countries responded in previous cases.
The official also mentioned that a specialized agency under the defense ministry would thoroughly analyze the debris to determine the details of the attack. The analysis is expected to be conducted by the Agency for Defense Development, a state defense research institute.