Cheong Wa Dae, the Presidential Office, said Wednesday that "the towing of the Namu and the subsequent process are ongoing, so analyzing the cause of the fire will take more time," responding to an Iranian state media report that claimed the explosion on the Korean vessel Namu in the Strait of Hormuz was the result of an armed action.
Kang Yu-jung, chief presidential spokesperson, made the remark during a briefing at Chunchugwan, adding that "there is nothing specific we can say yet" about the cause of the fire. Earlier, Iran's state-run English-language outlet Press TV claimed on Tuesday (local time) that "targeting a Korean vessel that violated Iran's new maritime regulations is a clear message," adding that "Iran will assert its sovereignty through physical 'strike actions.'"
While the Iranian embassy in Seoul denied that the Namu explosion was related to the Iranian military, the conflicting claim from state media suggested the incident was caused by force. Cheong Wa Dae, however, has maintained the position that it is difficult to conclude the explosion was caused by an attack.
Wi Sung-lac, director of the National Security Office, also said at a briefing the previous day that "the possibility of an attack was mentioned in the early stages of the fire," but added, "upon further review of the information, an attack did not appear certain. For now, there has been no flooding or listing."
