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Seoul concludes that Iranian-made missiles hit HMM Namu, summons Tehran's top envoy

Published: 27 May. 2026, 19:19 Updated: 27 May. 2026, 20:37

SEO JI-EUN
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Iranian Ambassador to Korea Saeed Koozechi arrives at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul on May 27, after being summoned by the Korean government. This follows Seoul's official announcement earlier that day, concluding that the weapon used to strike the container vessel HMM Namu in the Strait of Hormuz on May 4 was highly likely an Iranian-developed Noor-class anti-ship cruise missile. [NEWS1]

The Korean government on Wednesday concluded it was highly likely that Iranian-made anti-ship missiles struck the container ship HMM Namu near the Strait of Hormuz on May 4.

Iranian Ambassador Saeed Koozechi categorically denied involvement later in the day.

DP official confirms missile used in HMM Namu attack

Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo announced at a press briefing at the government complex in central Seoul that technical analysis of debris recovered from the Namu pointed to the Noor series, an Iranian-produced anti-ship missile, as the weapon used in the May 4 attack on the vessel.

The cargo ship, operated by Korean shipping company HMM, was anchored in United Arab Emirates (UAE) waters near the strait and struck twice within a minute.

“Multiple pieces of evidence point toward Iran,” Park said, declining to formally attribute the attack to the Iranian government.

Investigators from the Agency for Defense Development, who conducted on-site inspections from May 13 to 15 and brought wreckage back to Korea for analysis, identified four key indicators linking the missiles to Iran.

An image provided by the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs on May 27 shows a close-up of a missile component recovered from the damaged container vessel HMM Namu. Forensic investigators identified serial markings on the debris reading "TEM-T05003," tracing the manufacturing origin to an Iranian military producer. [MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS]

The engine recovered from the debris matched an Iranian-produced turbojet — specifically the Toloue-4 — with markings from Iranian military manufacturer TEM. The warhead shape corresponded to the Noor or Qadr anti-ship missile series. The fuselage was painted in a distinctive sky-blue used exclusively by Iran's Noor-class missiles. The circuit board components were estimated to be 20 to 30 years old, suggesting an older variant of the Noor.

The Namu was anchored with its stern facing Iran, at a distance of roughly 90 to 100 kilometers (55.9 to 62.1 miles) from the Iranian coast. Defense officials estimated a flight time of six to seven minutes. The launch origin — whether land or sea — could not be determined.

Of the two missiles fired, the first failed to detonate while the second exploded. The two projectiles were assessed to have been launched simultaneously rather than in sequence.

Rear Admiral Ryu Youn-sang of the Ministry of National Defense said firing two missiles at a stationary civilian vessel indicated intent to “cause damage” — but the Foreign Ministry stopped short of formally declaring the attack deliberate.

“It is very difficult to confirm intent,” Park said. “Intent is inherently subjective — and without admission from the other side, establishing it is extremely difficult.”

The government later summoned Koozechi to lodge a formal protest and demand an apology, along with measures to prevent recurrence, with Park conducting the meeting himself.

"I personally wish to express my regret for the damage sustained by the Korean vessel," Koozechi told reporters as he left the government complex following the meeting.

"Iran denies everything related to this matter. There is absolutely no involvement on our part," he said, also warning of what he called false flag operations by "hostile states," without naming them.

Officials, including Lee Soo-ho, director general for the maritime safety bureau at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries; Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo; and Rear Admiral Ryu Youn-sang of the Ministry of National Defense, hold a press briefing to announce the investigation results regarding the attack on the container vessel HMM Namu on May 27 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in central Seoul. [YONHAP]

Asked why Seoul chose to publicly release its findings when other affected countries had not, Park said transparency was a baseline obligation.

Ryu noted that no other government had formally investigated and announced attribution for any of the recent attacks near the Strait of Hormuz.

The announcement comes as U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations are ongoing and the security situation in the waterway remains volatile, with 25 Korean-operated vessels remaining in the area.

Park said Korea supported freedom of navigation in the strait but stopped short of committing to any specific multilateral escort framework, such as a U.S.-led coalition.

The strike against a Korean vessel remains diplomatically baffling, as Seoul had stepped up diplomatic engagement with Tehran during the war, including dispatching a special envoy in recent weeks.

Relations between the two nations have historically been sensitive, notably over billions of dollars in Iranian funds previously frozen in Korean banks under U.S. sanctions.

Asked what might account for the attack, Park offered no theory.

“It is very difficult to speculate,” he said.

The Namu attack marks the first time a Korean-flagged vessel has been struck in the Strait of Hormuz since the United States and Israel began launching attacks on Iran on Feb. 28.

BY SEO JI-EUN [[email protected]]