Trump: "South Korean Cargo Ship Attacked for Acting Alone in the Strait"

Pressure on South Korea to Join Operations

U.S. President Donald Trump claimed on May 5 (local time) that the attack on a South Korean cargo ship was due to the vessel operating alone in the Strait of Hormuz.

During a White House event that day, President Trump stated that South Korea sources 43% of its oil through the Strait of Hormuz, adding, "But their vessel was attacked. They were not in the convoy and chose to act alone." He further emphasized, "Their ship was destroyed yesterday. However, the vessels under U.S. protection were not attacked."

The South Korean government maintains that the cause of the explosion aboard the Namuho has not yet been determined. However, President Trump has labeled the incident as an Iranian attack since the previous day and is urging South Korea to contribute to easing tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.

On May 4, the United States launched the "Liberation Project" to help vessels trapped in the Strait of Hormuz escape. On that day, the U.S. military announced that Iran had repelled merchant ships using missiles and fast boats. Iran, meanwhile, resumed attacks against countries such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), raising concerns that the ceasefire could collapse.

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