Blue House holds NSC meeting after HMM Namu strike finding

May 11, 2026, 08:09 am

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The South Korean national flag flies over the Blue House in Seoul on Dec. 28, one day before the presidential office’s return to the compound. The Phoenix Flag was scheduled to be raised at midnight on Dec. 29. /Park Sung-il

The South Korean presidential office said Sunday that it convened a working-level meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) after the government concluded that the explosion and fire aboard the HMM Namu in the Strait of Hormuz were caused by an external strike from unidentified flying objects.

According to the Blue House, the NSC working committee meeting included officials from relevant ministries, including the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.

A presidential office official said details of the meeting could not be disclosed.

Earlier, the government’s joint investigation team announced findings that the explosion and fire aboard the HMM Namu were caused by impacts from two unidentified flying objects.

The South Korean government had previously maintained a cautious stance regarding the possibility that the vessel had been attacked. Wi Sung-lac, the national security adviser, said during a Blue House briefing on May 6 that the possibility of an attack had initially been raised but later appeared uncertain after additional reviews.

“There was no flooding or listing of the vessel,” Wi said.

The incident occurred on May 4 while the HMM Namu was anchored near waters off the United Arab Emirates inside the Strait of Hormuz. An explosion and fire broke out aboard the ship, though no casualties were reported.

The case marked the first known damage to a South Korean vessel amid the ongoing regional conflict as the United States and Iran maintain an unstable ceasefire.

The South Korean government towed the heavily damaged vessel to Dubai Port in the UAE on May 7 and conducted a three-day investigation into the cause of the fire.

The government investigation team, consisting of three investigators from the Korea Maritime Safety Tribunal under the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and four forensic experts from the National Fire Agency, secured evidence including the ship’s voyage data recorder (VDR) and CCTV footage. Investigators also interviewed crew members and conducted on-site inspections.

Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump claimed on May 5 that the HMM Namu had been attacked by Iran while sailing independently without joining the U.S.-led maritime security initiative. However, the Iranian Embassy in Seoul denied any involvement by Iranian forces.

Since Iran effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz on March 1 following attacks by the United States and Israel, 26 Korean-operated vessels, including the HMM Namu, have remained stranded in the region.

#Blue House #HMM Namu #NSC #National Security Council #Strait of Hormuz