Cheong Wa Dae, the presidential office, said Monday that analyzing the cause of the explosion and fire aboard a Korean vessel in the Strait of Hormuz is expected to take several days, emphasizing a swift and accurate investigation.
Chief Spokesperson Kang Yu-jung made the remarks in a written briefing following a roughly one-hour emergency meeting on the maritime fire chaired by Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik. The meeting was also attended by the head of the Crisis Management Center, the senior secretary for oceans and fisheries, the senior secretary for foreign policy, and the chief of the State Affairs Situation Office.
Regarding the cause investigation, Kang said, "Considering the deployment and berthing of tugboats, the dispatch of domestic investigators, and the analysis period, the cause analysis is expected to take several days." She stressed, "The government will swiftly and accurately identify the cause of the accident and report it transparently to the public."
"The vessel will be moved to a nearby port and berthed using a tugboat contracted by the ship's operator," she explained. "Personnel from the Korean Register's Dubai branch will then be immediately dispatched to conduct safety inspections." She added, "To ensure an objective and credible determination of the cause, investigators from the Korean Maritime Safety Tribunal and forensic experts from the National Fire Agency will be urgently dispatched to the site, separately from the shipping company's own investigation."
On securing the safety of the vessel and crew, Kang said, "The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Cheonghae Unit are maintaining smooth communication with the vessel and are monitoring the safety of the ship and its crew in real time." She added, "To ease concerns among crew members' families, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the shipping company are directly explaining the situation and actively responding to inquiries." Beyond the vessel involved in the fire, Kang emphasized, "Since the outbreak of the Middle East war, we have been in daily contact with 26 Korean vessels anchored within the Strait of Hormuz and are making every effort to ensure their safety and provide necessary support."
She also outlined parallel diplomatic efforts. "Our government is maintaining close communication with the United States, Iran, and member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) — Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman — sharing relevant information with one another," Kang said. "We have instructed our embassies in the relevant countries to monitor and report developments in real time, operating a seamless cooperation system with host governments," she said. "The government will place the safety of our citizens and vessels as the top priority and swiftly and thoroughly carry out all necessary measures."
