Office of the President Dispatches Investigation Team to Hormuz Ship Fire Site... Cause Analysis Expected to Take Several Days

Situation Reviewed and Response Measures Discussed, Chaired by Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik

"Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and Cheonghae Unit Monitoring Crew Safety in Real Time"

"Mutual Information Sharing and Close Communication with th

The Blue House announced on the 5th that it has decided to dispatch domestic investigators to the site to determine the cause of the ship fire that occurred in the waters of Hormuz the previous day. The analysis of the cause is expected to take several days.

Yonhap News Agency

Chief presidential spokesperson Kang Yujeong stated in a written briefing that "a meeting presided over by Chief of Staff Kang Hoonshik was held at the Blue House from 12:30 p.m. for about an hour today to assess the situation and discuss response measures regarding the ship fire that occurred yesterday in the waters of Hormuz." The meeting was attended by Chief of Staff Kang, the head of the Crisis Management Center, the maritime affairs and fisheries secretary, the foreign policy secretary, and the chief of the national affairs office.

The government plans to first move the vessel involved in the incident to a nearby port using a contracted tugboat and have it dock. Following this, personnel from the Korean Register branch in Dubai will be dispatched immediately to conduct a safety inspection. In addition, a separate investigation will be conducted in parallel to ensure a more objective and reliable determination of the cause. Apart from the shipping company's own investigation, the government will send investigators from the Central Maritime Safety Tribunal and fire investigation experts from the National Fire Agency to the site.

Considering the time required for tugboat deployment and docking, dispatch of domestic investigators, and analysis period, it is expected that the cause analysis will take several days. Spokesperson Kang explained, "The government will identify the cause of the accident quickly and accurately and report transparently to the public."

The safety status of the ship and crew was also reviewed. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Cheonghae Unit are maintaining smooth communication with the vessel involved in the incident and are monitoring the safety of the ship and its crew in real time. In addition, to alleviate concerns of the crew members’ families, the Ministry and the shipping company are directly providing updates on the situation and actively responding to inquiries.

Since the outbreak of the Middle East war, the government has been maintaining daily contact with 26 Korean vessels anchored on the inner side of the Strait of Hormuz. Spokesperson Kang explained, "The government is doing its utmost to ensure the safety of these vessels and provide necessary support."

Diplomatic efforts are also underway. The government is closely communicating and sharing relevant information with the United States, Iran, and member countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)—Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman. Korean embassies in the relevant countries have been instructed to monitor and report local developments in real time. Cooperation systems with host country governments are also in operation.

Spokesperson Kang stated, "The government will prioritize the safety of our nationals and ships and will promptly and thoroughly implement all necessary measures."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.