Cheong Wa Dae on the 11th said it "strongly condemns" the attack from outside on the Korean ship HMM Namuho, which had been anchored near the Strait of Hormuz, saying, "Attacks on civilian vessels such as the HMM Namuho cannot be justified or tolerated." However, it said it "plans to identify [the perpetrators and the exact model] through a subsequent investigation" regarding the party responsible and the exact type.
Cheong Wa Dae also said that it was not appropriate to describe the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' summoning of the Iranian ambassador on the 10th as "chochi," and that it had "communicated" with a neighboring country. The point is that it is not concluding that Iran was behind the Namuho attack.
Wi Sung-lac, director of the Office of National Security, said at a Cheong Wa Dae briefing that afternoon, "According to the on-site investigation by the government's joint investigation team, two unidentified flying objects struck the stern of the (Namuho) twice at one-minute intervals," adding, "At the time of the incident, the section 1 to 1.5 meters above the sea surface was damaged, and the possibility of a hit by a mine or torpedo is low." He added, "We will proceed with the necessary disclosures and measures in accordance with additional investigations."
He went on to say, "To prevent a recurrence of such incidents, we will continue to communicate with the relevant countries, and we will also work to strengthen the safety of our ships and crew located in nearby straits." He also said, "We will continue to join the international community's related efforts to ensure the safety of all ships and the freedom of navigation."
◇ "Condemning the attack… but unable to identify the perpetrators"
Cheong Wa Dae is extremely cautious about specific countries, such as Iran, being mentioned as the perpetrators. A senior Cheong Wa Dae official said, "At this point we have not identified the perpetrators," adding, "Until the investigation is concluded, it is difficult to pre-judge and say we will take any particular action, and we will set an appropriate level of response as soon as we reach a judgment. Common sense suggests it will not be significantly different from how other countries respond in similar situations."
Iran's state-run Press TV on the 6th (local time) reported that it "targeted a Korean ship that violated maritime regulations," and the previous day U.S. President Donald Trump also posted on social media that the attack originated from Iran. However, Cheong Wa Dae said regarding any link to Iran that "for now, it is an unknown area."
At the initial stage, the Korean government considered the possibility of a hit based on a report from HMM. After that, on the 6th, Cheong Wa Dae said, "There is no flooding or listing of the ship. After reviewing additional information, a hit is uncertain," effectively leaning toward an interpretation that it was not a hit. But three days later, the government investigation team said it was "two strikes by flying objects." That result is at odds with Cheong Wa Dae's explanation. In a photo released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a large hole measuring 5 meters wide and 7 meters deep appeared in the Namuho's hull.
On this, a senior Cheong Wa Dae official said, "Last time, we did not receive a report that there was a breach, and it was difficult to reach an overall judgment," adding, "It is not that we made the wrong judgment; we did not make any judgment at all. We thought it was right to judge after a thorough investigation."
◇ "Not a 'chochi' of the Iranian ambassador"
In particular, Cheong Wa Dae said it is also incorrect to call it a "chochi" of the Iranian ambassador. Earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Saeed Koozechi, the Iranian ambassador to Korea, on the evening of the previous day to inquire into the circumstances of the incident. As he left the ministry building in Seoul, Ambassador Koozechi, asked to state his position, said, "We only talked about general issues regarding this accident," again denying any link.
A senior Cheong Wa Dae official said, "As far as I know, the format in which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs met the Iranian ambassador was not 'chochi,'" adding, "We met the Iranian ambassador and held related consultations." The official also said, "Meeting the Iranian ambassador did not mean we had identified the (attack) perpetrators; since Iran is one of the related countries nearby, it was for communication and consultation. We did not hear any new information from Iran or receive any report."