"Attack on HMM Namu Does Not Meet the Conditions for War"... Government Reaches Final Stage of Investigation

[Financial News] Cho Hyun, Minister of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), said on the 20th that the investigation into HMM Namu, which was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, has reached its final stage. He also explained that an attack on a merchant vessel does not constitute a casus belli under international law.
Appearing before a full session of the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee of the National Assembly, Cho said, "The investigation into the HMM Namu attack is almost in its final stage," adding, "However, it is still difficult to identify the perpetrator with certainty."
Hong Ki-won of the Democratic Party of Korea expressed regret to Cho, saying that confusion from the very start, including the dispatch of the investigation team, had deepened public doubts. He also pointed out that MOFA appeared reluctant to identify who was behind the attack.
In response, Cho said, "We took into account a range of factors, including the safety of our 26 ships remaining in the Strait of Hormuz and the more than 40 Korean nationals still in Iran." He added, "A total of 32 ships worldwide were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, affecting 16 countries. We carefully examined what statements those countries issued and how they responded."
Regarding the situation at the time of the attack on the Namu, Cho explained, "The ship was anchored at the time of the attack, and there was no flooding afterward. The Namu was flying the Panamanian flag."
Cho also said that designating Iran as an enemy state should be handled with caution.
Kim Jun-hyung of the Rebuilding Korea Party (RKP) drew attention by saying that the government's response to the HMM Namu attack was appropriate when compared with the investigation into the ROKS Cheonan incident.
Kim said, "Under the Lee Myung-bak administration, the first investigation into the Cheonan sinking was completed in 30 days. The perpetrator was identified in 40 days. The final investigation results were announced in nearly two months." He added, "For the Namu case, the government investigation team was dispatched within six days," defending the current administration's handling of the case.
He also argued that it is more important to safely evacuate the 26 Korean ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz than to go to war with Iran.
He also voiced concern over criticism that, unlike the Cheonan attack, the government was not going to war with Iran over the Namu incident.
In response, Cho took a cautious stance, saying, "Under international law, an attack on a warship constitutes grounds for war. But an attack on a merchant vessel does not."
rainman@fnnews.com Kim Kyung-soo Reporter