South Korea says investigation finds Iranian-made missiles likely hit HMM cargo ship in Hormuz

Korea faces a narrow set of realistic options in responding to the likely strike on a Korean-operated vessel by an Iran-linked anti-ship missile near the Strait of Hormuz earlier this month, with experts saying military measures are effectively off the table and diplomatic pressure the only viable path — even as Washington's calls for greater Korean involvement in regional maritime operations grow louder. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Wednesday that a joint government investigation team found strong evidence suggesting the projectile that struck the vessel belonged to Iran’s Noor series of anti-ship missiles. The government cited missile debris, explosive residue and structural analysis of the blast site as part of the basis for its assessment. Seoul, however, stopped short of directly accusing the Iranian government of carrying out the attack, saying only that the missile was “Iran-linked” and declining to specify whether the launch may have involved Iran’s military, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps or an Iran-backed militia group. Doo Jin-ho, director of the

What many believed to be true was right. Korea’s foreign ministry confirmed Wednesday that two Iranian missiles were fired at the stern of the bulk carrier Namu, operated by South Korean shipping company HMM, near the Strait of Hormuz. “All evidence points to Iran,” First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo said during a briefing announcing the results of the government’s investigation into the May 4 attack in waters off the United Arab Emirates. Park said a team of experts examined debris recovered from the vessel and found Iranian-made engines and other components used in the anti-ship missiles. Based on their analysis, the government concluded that the weapons were from Iran’s Noor anti-ship cruise missile series. Two missiles were fired. The first failed to explode, while the second struck the vessel’s stern. Following the briefing, the foreign ministry summoned Iran’s ambassador to South Korea Saeed Koozechi to protest the attack and demand accountability from Tehran. However, the Iranian envoy denied his country’s involvement in the strike. Speaking to reporters, he

What many believed to be true was right. Korea’s foreign ministry confirmed Wednesday that two Iranian missiles were fired at the stern of the bulk carrier Namu, operated by South Korean shipping company HMM, near the Strait of Hormuz. “All evidence points to Iran,” First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo said during a briefing announcing the results of the government’s investigation into the May 4 maritime attack in waters off the United Arab Emirates. Park said a team of experts examined debris recovered from the attacked vessel and found Iranian-made engines and other components used in the anti-ship missiles. Based on their analysis, the government concluded that the weapons were from Iran’s Noor anti-ship cruise missile series. Two missiles were fired. The first warhead failed to explode, while the second struck the vessel’s stern hull. Following the briefing, the foreign ministry summoned Iran’s ambassador to South Korea, Saeed Koozechi, to protest the attack and demand accountability from Tehran. However, the Iranian envoy denied his country’s involvement in the s

“Various pieces of evidence point toward Iran,” said First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo.

By Heejin Kim and Joyce LeeSEOUL, May 27 (Reuters) - An Iranian anti-ship missile was likely involved in an attack on a cargo ship operated by local shipper HMM in the Strait of Hormuz earlier this month, South Korea's Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.Saeed Koozechi, the Iranian ambassador to South Korea, denied Iran's role in the South Korean vessel attack saying his country "took no part" in it, local news agency Yonhap News reported.The Iranian embassy in Seoul did not immediately respond to a request for comment.