Seoul: Engine debris from "unidentified airborne objects" that struck a South Korean vessel in the Strait of Hormuz last week will soon arrive in Seoul for in-depth analysis, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Tuesday. On Sunday, the foreign ministry reported that the strike by two unidentified flying objects caused an explosion and fire aboard the Panama-flagged cargo ship HMM Namu, operated by major South Korean shipping company HMM Co. The vessel was left stranded in the chokepoint following the incident.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the ministry stated that the source of the strike has yet to be confirmed and additional analysis will be conducted on the engine debris recovered from the objects at the scene. "(The debris) will arrive here soon. Once it arrives, we will conduct a thorough examination and announce all the details," Cho told reporters. When asked about media speculation that the objects may have been Iran's Shahed-series drones, Cho responded, "We do not know yet. At this point, it is too early to say."

The investigation will be conducted jointly by the defense ministry, as well as relevant institutions with the necessary expertise. U.S. President Donald Trump had earlier claimed that Iran had "taken some shots" at the HMM vessel and other targets, but the Iranian Embassy in Seoul stressed that Tehran "firmly and categorically" denies any involvement by its military in the incident. Following Seoul's announcement, Iran has not issued any additional statement.

Cheong Wa Dae on Monday condemned the recent attack on the South Korean ship, adding that any attacks on civilian vessels in the strait cannot be tolerated. Although the government initially reported no casualties among the 24 crew members on board, including six South Koreans, officials later confirmed that one crew member sustained minor injuries.