Conspiracy theories spread over 'HMM Namu attack'... UFO, Israel and U.S. involvement claims snowball

[The Financial News] As the government has not identified who was behind the attack on HMM Namu in the Strait of Hormuz, a wave of conspiracy theories is spreading. On the 11th, Cheong Wa Dae issued a statement condemning the unidentified flying object that struck Namu. But because it did not specify which country should be condemned, various theories have circulated among internet users. Even the People Power Party's supreme council has raised a conspiracy theory, suggesting that the $500,000 in humanitarian aid sent to Iran may have come back as the drone that attacked a South Korean vessel.
According to political sources on the 12th, conspiracy theories surrounding the Namu attack have even led to claims that Israel and the United States were involved. One theory says Israel, which has previously shown reluctance, staged the incident to make it appear as if Iran was responsible in order to continue the war. It would mean the vessel was damaged only enough to avoid sinking or casualties, thanks to highly precise strike capabilities.
Some internet users also made the absurd claim that the United States fired the weapon. In that view, U.S. President Donald Trump’s quick assertion that Iran was behind the attack would amount to a staged operation.
One user claimed, "The United States or Israel could do it with the same unmanned aircraft, and the United States and Israel are good at doing things like that." Another political YouTuber mocked the government’s announcement, saying, "They can’t call Hong Gil-dong Hong Gil-dong, and they can’t call a drone a drone."
The spread of these conspiracy theories was further fueled by the government’s ambiguous stance on the summons of the Iranian ambassador to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a protest. On the day it announced the attack on Namu, MOFA summoned Saeed Koozechi to its building in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Diplomats interpreted the weekend summons as a formal protest. Many citizens also saw it as a de facto complaint to the Iranian government. But the Cheong Wa Dae denied the next day, on the 11th, that it had summoned the ambassador as a protest.
Conspiracy theories are also spreading within conservative political circles. People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk wrote on Facebook, "They say it was Iran, but they insist it was 'unidentified.' Is Lee Jae-myung's real enemy a UFO?"
The People Power Party's supreme council complained, "Iranian state television already reported that it 'targeted a Korean vessel.' Even when the attacker confesses, they say the victim is not the victim." It also pointed out that, even after reviewing the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage, officials still described it as an 'unidentified flying object.'
The party's supreme council also raised suspicions over the $500,000 in humanitarian aid sent to Iran, saying, "That money may have come back as the drone that attacked our vessel."
The ruling bloc strongly pushed back against the People Power Party's claims. Some voices also warned that the controversy could hurt the June 3 local elections. The Public Relations Team of the Democratic Party of Korea's Central Election Management Committee strongly protested, saying, "The People Power Party is raising allegations of a cover-up and trying to damage the ROK-U.S. Alliance." It added that the party was insulting the alliance with baseless claims. The remarks could be read as suggesting that the allied United States knew our vessel had been attacked but failed to share the information in time. rainman@fnnews.com Kim Kyung-soo reporter

rainman@fnnews.com Kim Kyung-soo Reporter