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[Photo=Aju Business Daily DB]
Foreign Ministry spokesman Park Il said the joint government investigation confirmed that an unidentified aircraft struck the stern of the HMM Namoo on May 4. He added that while CCTV footage captured the aircraft, investigators face constraints in identifying who launched it, the exact model or its physical size.
The government’s on-site inspection, CCTV review and interviews with the ship’s captain found that at about 3:30 p.m. on May 4 two unidentified aircraft struck the outer plating of the port-side ballast tank at the Namoo’s stern twice, roughly one minute apart.
Officials said the strikes produced jolting vibrations followed by flames and smoke. The fire ignited after the first strike and then expanded rapidly following the second. Spokesman Park said investigators believe the fire did not originate from inside the ship.
According to Yonhap News on May 10, Kim posted on Facebook on May 8 an essay titled \”KOSPI 7,500 and the Threshold of 10,000,\” arguing that South Korea’s fiscal and macro outlook typically follows GDP growth forecasts but that the current semiconductor boom is difficult for the existing GDP framework to capture.
Kim wrote that in industries like semiconductors—where quality improvements outpace price changes—traditional statistical systems respond too slowly to real-world shifts, and that fiscal policy is the crucial issue. He warned that if the semiconductor boom continues through 2027, tax revenues in 2026–2027 could reach historic levels.
He identified drivers of excess revenue, including corporate taxes from Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, income taxes from highly paid semiconductor workers, and multiplier effects from an expanding trade surplus. Kim said that if these factors accumulate, they could produce record-breaking excess tax receipts.
Yonhap News reported on May 10 that when reporters asked Ambassador Koojechi, leaving the Foreign Ministry building, about the investigation’s finding that an unidentified aircraft struck the ship, he replied, \”We only discussed some general issues about the incident.\”
When asked whether Iran’s prior stance—that its military was not involved—still stands, he said, \”Ask the (Iranian) foreign ministry.\”
Ambassador Koojechi visited the Foreign Ministry shortly after the joint investigation released its findings. According to the ministry, First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yun-ju briefed the ambassador on the investigation results.
Reuters reported on May 9 (local time) that the U.S. is waiting for Iran’s answer to its ceasefire proposal. U.S. President Donald Trump said on May 8 that he expected to receive Iran’s response that night.
In an interview with French media, President Trump reiterated that he expects a reply soon. LCI reporter Margo Hadad posted on X (formerly Twitter) that Trump told her in a call, \”I expect to hear from them very soon,\” she said.
According to the Korea Financial Investment Association on May 10, deposits for on-exchange derivatives trading rose to 38.2567 trillion KRW (about $28.69 billion) as of May 7, a record high. That is an increase of more than 6 trillion KRW from a week earlier, when the balance stood at 32.2335 trillion KRW (about $24.18 billion) on April 30. Compared with the first trading day of the year, January 2, when deposits totaled 18.3986 trillion KRW (about $13.80 billion), the figure has more than doubled in four months.
Deposits for on-exchange derivatives trading are standby funds left in securities accounts for investing in exchange-traded derivatives such as KOSPI 200 futures and options. Because derivatives typically carry greater volatility and often involve leverage, this metric is usually interpreted as a sign of aggressive investor sentiment. Analysts say that as the KOSPI’s sharp rise continues, money betting on further gains has flowed heavily into the derivatives market.
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