A South Korean government official says Iran was most likely responsible for an attack on one of their country’s cargo ships near the Strait of Hormuz, according to reports from Yonhap news agency on Thursday.
The senior foreign ministry official told reporters that Seoul is reviewing intelligence information provided by the United States regarding the May 4 incident involving HMM’s Namu vessel. The attack sparked a fire and caused damage to the ship’s lower stern hull.
“Once we go through the investigation and present the evidence, I trust that the Iranian side will respond in an appropriate way,” the official said.
The foreign ministry has not yet verified the official’s statements made to reporters.
Investigation teams from South Korea have traveled to Dubai, where the damaged Namu is currently docked for inspection before repairs begin. The experts are conducting detailed forensic analysis of the vessel’s damage.
Iranian officials have previously rejected claims they were involved in the attack, which involved a powerful strike to the ship’s side. Iran has not issued further statements while Seoul continues its investigation.
Shortly after the incident occurred, the U.S. President said Iran had attacked the South Korean ship and called on Seoul to participate in American-led initiatives to protect maritime traffic in the strait.
