Joint investigators say two unidentified projectiles hit the HMM Namu in the Strait of Hormuz on May 4
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the results of the joint government investigation into the Namuho fire on May 10. The photo shows the outer plating of the Namu vessel struck by an unidentified projectile. (Photo provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
The government has concluded that the South Korean cargo ship HMM Namu, which caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz, was struck by an unidentified projectile.
However, the entity behind the attack and the weapon system used have not yet been specified. Even amid discussions of possible Iranian involvement, the government maintains a cautious stance, avoiding premature conclusions and planning to determine its response direction after conducting debris analysis and further investigation.
According to the results of the joint government investigation team released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on May 10, the CCTV footage of the Namu captured two unidentified projectiles striking the vessel at an interval of approximately one minute.
Immediately following the impact, flames and smoke erupted from the vessel along with vibrations. The investigation revealed that the outer plating of the left stern was damaged to a width of about 5 meters and a depth of about 7 meters.
The government believes it is difficult to determine the type or size of the projectile based solely on the video footage. It plans to confirm whether the projectile was a drone or a missile by conducting additional analysis on the engine debris of the projectile collected from the scene.
During a briefing on May 10, Spokesperson Park Il of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded to a question about whether the unidentified projectile was a drone, stating, “Information regarding the exact projectile is a matter that requires further investigation,” and added, “Whether it is a drone or a missile is a situation that requires further investigation.”
As the CCTV footage confirmed the impact of an object flying from the air, the government views the previously raised possibilities of a naval mine or torpedo as low.
Opinions are divided among experts regarding the weapon system. Those who place weight on the possibility of a drone focus on the fact that although the Namu lost its ability to navigate under its own power due to an engine room fire, it avoided large-scale damage such as the hull being broken in half or flooded.
A military source stated, “If it were a cruise missile, the rupture would have been larger, and the damage would not have ended at this level,” adding, “I believe that if two drones consecutively struck the same spot, they could pierce up to 7 meters inside the hull.”
On the other hand, there are analyses suggesting the possibility of an anti-ship missile. Secretary General Shin Jong-woo of the Korea Defense and Security Forum analyzed the situation based on the fact that the damaged area of the vessel is about 1 to 1.5 meters above sea level, stating, “Because drones have difficulty performing sea-skimming flights, it is highly likely that it was an anti-ship missile flying close to the water surface.”
Secretary General Shin explained, “Anti-ship missiles can fly horizontally at low altitudes and consecutively strike the same spot,” and added, “Drones are slow and explode the moment they reach the target, but if it pierced through the steel plate, the possibility of an anti-ship missile is high.” He also raised the possibility of it being Iran’s Nasr-1 anti-ship cruise missile.
Debris analysis is considered a key clue to determining the identity of the projectile. Experts believe that since drone engines and missile engines differ in size and specifications, the model can be narrowed down if the recovered debris is not severely damaged. A military expert stated, “If the recovered engine is a jet engine, it is a missile, and if it is a reciprocating engine, it is a drone.”
The government is also expected to look into the origin of the components. As the United States has strengthened sanctions and export controls to prevent Iran from acquiring the technology and components necessary for missile and drone development, Iran is known to have procured related technology and components from countries such as China and Russia.
Judgments surrounding the entity behind the attack are even more cautious. The day the Namu fire occurred, on May 4, was the day the United States initiated a military operation to move vessels stranded in the Strait of Hormuz to a safe zone. At the time, Iran claimed the United States operation was a ceasefire violation and warned that it could forcefully block vessels attempting to pass through the strait without prior consultation with Iran.
On the same day, a small-scale armed clash occurred between the United States and Iran, and as Iran resumed attacks against neighboring Arab countries, the possibility was raised that the Namu was included as a target of attack.
However, the government has not yet concluded who the attacking entity is. Spokesperson Park stated, “We intend to avoid making premature conclusions regarding the entity behind this attack at present,” adding that further investigation is necessary.
Immediately following the announcement of the investigation results, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Iranian Ambassador to South Korea Saeed Koozechi to the ministry building and explained the findings of the investigation.
The Iranian government has maintained the position that the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran were not involved in this incident so far. However, as it has previously warned that an “unintended incident” could occur if the passage conditions for the Strait of Hormuz demanded by Iran were not met, the possibility of an accidental attack by a separate chain of command, such as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has also been raised.
Leaving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building on May 10, Ambassador Koozechi described the vessel attack to reporters as an “accident.” He did not express a separate position in response to questions about the involvement of the Iranian military.
The United States has been leaning toward defining the incident as an Iranian attack from the beginning. United States President Donald Trump concluded that the explosion and fire on the Namu was an Iranian attack and has pressured South Korea to participate in the United States military’s “liberation” operation for vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
Subsequently, as end-of-war negotiations between the United States and Iran showed signs of progress and the United States military’s operation in the Strait of Hormuz entered a lull, the level of pressure from the United States on South Korea was observed to have somewhat decreased.
However, if future investigations confirm it was an attack by Iran, the government could face more complex choices. This is because demands for more active participation in United States-led efforts to stabilize the strait to protect South Korean vessels and citizens could grow.
Spokesperson Park stated, “We intend to make every effort to secure the safety of our citizens by thoroughly investigating the cause of the accident and pursuing all possible measures, including cooperation with the international community, to prevent a recurrence.”
He added that the issue of participating in United States initiatives, including the Maritime Freedom Concept, is also “under close review.”
Jung Min-hee
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