Korean Cargo Ship to Be Towed to Dubai After Hormuz Blast; Cause Under Investigation

Central News Agency (Seoul, May 6, comprehensive foreign wire report) - A cargo ship operated by South Korea's Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) recently exploded and caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz. HMM announced today that arrangements have been made to tow the ship to a port in Dubai. Reuters reported that US President Trump blamed Iran for the incident, but the South Korean Foreign Ministry stated that the cause of the explosion could only be confirmed after the ship returned to port and inspections were completed. HMM said via text message that the damaged vessel is expected to arrive in Dubai late on the 7th or early on the 8th Seoul time. The Panama-flagged cargo ship named HMM Namu exploded and caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz on the evening of the 4th. The fire was later extinguished, and fortunately, there were no casualties, with all 24 crew members remaining on board. Trump posted on social media, stating that as the US took action to ensure the free passage of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran fired at a South Korean-operated ship and other targets, calling on Seoul to join relevant US missions. This waterway carries about one-fifth of the world's oil and natural gas trade. Seoul is cautious about direct involvement in the Middle East conflict, but the South Korean presidential office revealed yesterday that it is evaluating Trump's suggestion to participate in a plan to maintain freedom of navigation. Trump later stated that he would suspend related operations to assist in escorting vessels through this strategic waterway, adding that "significant progress" had been made toward a comprehensive agreement with Iran. (Compiled by Liu Wen-yu) 1150506