Government Sends Forensic Experts, Investigates Cause of Accident... "Focused on Crew Safety"

The government has launched an investigation into the exact cause of the explosion that occurred on the Korean vessel HMM Namuho on the 4th, which had been stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, while also taking steps to protect the safety of the crew. Separate from the ship’s own internal review, it will send experts to the site to determine the precise cause. The vessel that caught fire is reportedly unable to sail under its own power. It remains unclear whether the incident was caused by an Iranian attack.
On the 5th, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said, "Because it is unclear whether our vessel, which suffered the explosion, can operate normally, we plan to tow it to a nearby port, inspect the damage, and carry out repairs." The government also confirmed that none of the 24 crew members on board the medium-sized bulk carrier HMM Namuho, including six Korean nationals, were injured.
The previous day, an explosion was heard on HMM’s medium-sized bulk cargo ship anchored near the Strait of Hormuz, and a fire broke out on the port side of the engine room. The crew immediately began extinguishing the blaze by releasing carbon dioxide, and the fire was brought under control in about four hours.
An HMM official said, "Based on the CCTV footage we have reviewed so far, the fire appears to have been extinguished," adding, "The carbon dioxide must be removed before personnel can enter and determine the cause of the fire. We expect to complete the removal work today and begin the investigation." The official added, "We will later inspect the engine room directly to confirm the exact extent of the damage and the cause."
HMM is currently pushing ahead with a plan to deploy a tugboat and move the damaged vessel to the nearby Port of Dubai. The towing operation is expected to take several days.
As a result, it appears unlikely that the exact cause of the explosion on HMM Namuho will be determined immediately.
A Foreign Ministry official explained, "The exact cause of the accident will likely become clear during the process of checking the damage after the vessel is towed." An HMM official also said, "We plan to inspect the engine room directly later to confirm the exact damage and cause," but added, "It has not yet been confirmed whether the explosion was caused by an external attack or by internal factors."
A subtle difference in stance between South Korea and the United States is also emerging over the incident.
U.S. President Donald Trump directly blamed Iran for the explosion and called on South Korea to join the operation. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social on the 4th local time, Trump said, "Iran also fired at some vessels, including a Korean cargo ship, and at countries that are not involved in the 'Project Freedom' vessel movement project." He added, "Perhaps now is the time for South Korea to take part and join this operation."
By contrast, the South Korean government did not immediately point to Iran as the cause or issue a protest. Cheong Wa Dae, however, said on the day that it is paying close attention to Trump’s proposal.
MOFA said it was concerned about the explosion and fire on a South Korean vessel anchored in the Strait of Hormuz. It did not issue any protest statement toward Iran. Shortly after the explosion and fire on HMM Namuho, MOFA held a meeting of the Overseas Koreans Protection Countermeasure Headquarters. Chaired by Kim Jin-ah, Second Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, the meeting was attended by seven diplomatic missions in the Middle East and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF).
Kim said, "Fortunately, there were no casualties this time, but it is important to identify the cause and prevent a similar incident from happening again." Still, the government did not single out Iran or issue a protest over the explosion. Kim expressed deep concern only over the fact that damage occurred to a South Korean vessel inside the Strait of Hormuz for the first time since the outbreak of the Middle East war.
The South Korean government has decided to focus first on handling the explosion and ensuring the crew’s safety. The Embassy of the Republic of Korea to the United Arab Emirates and the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Dubai contacted the shipping company and related agencies immediately after the incident to confirm the safety of the Korean crew and request necessary assistance.
rainman@fnnews.com Kim Kyung-soo, Kim Dong-ho, Kim Kyung-min