The circuit board and other remnants of an Iranian-made missile that hit the HMM Namu, a Korean ship in the Strait of Hormuz, on May 4, 2026. (courtesy MOFA)
South Korea’s government on Wednesday effectively identified Iran as being responsible for the May 4 attack on the Korean cargo ship HMM Namu in the Strait of Hormuz. Yet despite presenting evidence of the attack, Seoul stopped short of characterizing the attack as intentional or identifying a specific perpetrator.The decision was apparently made in consideration of the safety of the 25 Korean vessels still in the strait, Korean nationals in Iran, and diplomatic relations with Tehran, though Seoul did demand that the country apologize and pledge not to repeat the incident. First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Yoon-joo that day released the findings of a joint investigation team’s inquiry into the attack on the Namu, saying the projectile that struck the vessel was most likely a Noor long-range anti-ship cruise missile developed by Iran. This came 23 days after the vessel was struck on May 4.Investigators presented multiple pieces of evidence, such as analyses of components including the engines, the warheads of the projectiles, explosive materials and airframes found in the Namu, in addition to related photos. The warheads resembled those used in the Noor or the improved Qader missiles. Seoul also found markings of an Iranian manufacturer on parts recovered from the ship.
