The Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Iranian ambassador to Korea after it released the official cause of the fire aboard the Korean HMM cargo ship Namu off the Strait of Hormuz near the United Arab Emirates on the 10th.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs called in Saeed Koozechi, the Iranian ambassador to Korea, to its building in Jongno-gu, Seoul, that day.
Park Il, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, said, "Since Iran is one of the countries related to this (the Namu fire), the Iranian ambassador to Korea visited the building to explain our investigation results." Park added, "We are communicating with the relevant countries based on the facts confirmed so far," and "the government will take the necessary responses going forward."
Some observers say the government, which has maintained a cautious stance, may be seeking to hold Iran accountable by calling in the Iranian ambassador. Immediately after the Namu incident, U.S. President Donald Trump said "there was Iranian firing," but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs only said it was "still under investigation."
Iranian state-run Press TV reported on the 6th (local time) that it "targeted a Korean vessel that violated maritime regulations." It added, "The fact that Iran targeted a Korean vessel that violated newly set maritime regulations is a clear signal that Iran will exercise its sovereign rights through kinetic action."
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that day, "On May 4, an unidentified flying object hit the stern of HMM (Namu)." It said it has not been confirmed whether the flying object that struck Namu was a drone or a missile, or which country was responsible.