Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said the government is continuing to carefully examine the circumstances surrounding the attack before reaching any final conclusions, News.Az reports, citing Anadolu Agency.

The comments came amid growing criticism from the opposition People Power Party, which accused the government of downplaying the incident and avoiding directly attributing the strike to Iran.

The vessel involved, the Panama-flagged HMM Namu operated by South Korean shipping company HMM Co., was struck last week by what officials described as two “unidentified airborne objects.” The attack reportedly caused an explosion and fire onboard.

According to South Korean authorities, all 24 crew members, including six South Koreans, survived the incident without casualties.

Seoul has since summoned the Iranian ambassador to discuss the matter, while also sharing findings from its investigation with the United States.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump claimed that Iran had fired on the HMM Namu and other targets in the region. However, the Iranian Embassy in Seoul strongly denied any involvement, rejecting the allegations “firmly and categorically.”

The incident occurred shortly after the US launched “Project Freedom,” an operation aimed at assisting commercial vessels in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz before the mission was later suspended.

The attack has intensified concerns over maritime security in one of the world’s most critical shipping corridors, where rising regional tensions continue to threaten international trade and energy transport.