South Korea’s presidential office, the Blue House, on Monday (May 11) condemned in the strongest terms the attack this month on a cargo ship owned by a South Korean shipping company in the Strait of Hormuz, and stated that once the source of the attack is identified, countermeasures will be taken.
A Blue House official said that experts have completed a preliminary forensic examination of the damaged area on the port side of the vessel’s stern; the attack caused a fire in the ship’s engine room.
The official stated that the involved vessel, “Namu,” operated by South Korea’s HMM company, was not violating any existing regulations in waters near the UAE at the time of the incident, and that this was an unprovoked attack on a civilian merchant ship with no justifiable reason.
South Korean Presidential National Security Advisor Suh Hoon said at a press conference: “We condemn this in the strongest possible terms.” He added that South Korean officials and experts confirmed the damage to the vessel during a forensic inspection at a port in Dubai.
The Blue House official explained that because the damage was located on the lower part of the port side stern, it was not discovered in the initial period after the attack.
The official stated that it is currently impossible to confirm whether Iran was involved in the attack. Tehran has previously denied any connection to the incident involving the strong impact on the side of the ship.
The Iranian Embassy in South Korea issued a statement on Monday saying it has no position on the matter for now, but will promptly announce any new developments or official statements.
U.S. President Donald Trump immediately stated after the incident that Iran had launched an attack on the South Korean cargo ship, and urged Seoul to join the U.S.-led joint operation aimed at ensuring shipping safety in the strait.
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