Government: "Namu Attack Was Iranian Anti-Ship Missile"... Iranian Ambassador to Be Summoned Immediately (Comprehensive)

Namu Attack Perpetrator Effectively Identified as Iran...
Government Withholds Judgment on 'Intentionality'
Foreign Ministry Summons Iranian Ambassador for 'Strong Condemnation, Demand for Apology'

The government has tentatively concluded that the projectile which attacked the HMM Namu, a vessel belonging to HMM and anchored in the Strait of Hormuz, was an Iranian anti-ship missile.

Park Yoonjoo, First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, held a briefing on the investigation results of the South Korean vessel HMM Namu, which was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, on the afternoon of the 27th at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs annex in the Government Complex Seoul, Jongno-gu. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Park Yoonjoo, First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced these findings on the investigation into the HMM Namu attack during a briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs annex in the Government Complex Seoul on the 27th. Park stated, "Technical analysis has concluded that the unidentified projectile is highly likely to be an anti-ship missile from the Noor series developed in Iran."

According to the government’s investigation, of the two projectiles that attacked the HMM Namu, the first warhead was a dud, while the second warhead exploded. Park explained, "The warhead, which appeared to be largely intact, is presumed to have been a dud and resembled the warhead designs of Iran’s Noor or Qader anti-ship missiles. The debris from the electronic circuitry is estimated to have been produced about 20 to 30 years ago, which, considering the year of manufacture, suggests it is most likely an older Noor missile." He added, "It is presumed that both were launched simultaneously."

Based on these findings, the party responsible for the attack on the HMM Namu has been effectively identified as Iran. However, the government has withheld judgment on whether this was a "deliberate attack" targeting a South Korean vessel. Park said, "Various pieces of evidence point to Iran as the party responsible for the attack," but continued, "Intentionality relates to subjective areas, and unless Iran acknowledges it, it is extremely difficult to determine intent." Previously, the Iranian side denied any involvement in the attack on the HMM Namu.

In relation to this, Ryu Woonsang, Deputy Director-General for International Policy at the Ministry of National Defense (Navy Brigadier General), stated, "Although we cannot know the (actual) intention of the attacker, the fact that two projectiles were fired rather than just one leads us to believe they were fired with the intention of causing damage to the target," clarifying that this was his personal view. He continued, "The entry point of the incoming attack matched exactly the characteristics of a typical anti-ship missile."

The location from which the suspected anti-ship missile was launched has not been determined. It is known that both the Iranian Navy and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps operate missiles for both land and naval use. Brigadier General Ryu stated, "Although we could not confirm the launch point, considering the HMM Namu was about 90 to 100 kilometers away from the Iranian mainland, the estimated flight time was about 6 to 7 minutes." He added, "Missiles produced in Iran are primarily used by the Iranian Navy, the Revolutionary Guard, and pro-Iranian forces. Essentially, control of the Strait of Hormuz is believed to be in the hands of the Iranian Navy and the Revolutionary Guard." This effectively identifies the Iranian Navy and pro-Iranian forces as the parties responsible for the attack.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has decided to immediately summon Saeed Koozehchi, the Iranian Ambassador to South Korea. Park stated, "We will explain the results of the investigation, deliver a strong protest regarding the attack on our vessel, and demand responsible measures, including actions to prevent recurrence." He emphasized, "We will deliver a strong message of condemnation and also request an apology regarding this matter."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.