Progressive figures have suggested that the attack on the HMM Namu in the Strait of Hormuz on the 4th may have been carried out by the United States. The allegation originated on a YouTube channel run by broadcaster Kim Yong-min, who first rose to prominence on the podcast Naneun Kkomsuda.
Some observers worry that the government’s confirmation of the Namu attack, combined with its failure to identify the attacker, could allow unverified conspiracy theories to proliferate.
◆ 'Trump did it'… 'Bingo' — U.S. involvement claim lacks evidence
The remarks came during a morning live broadcast on Kim’s YouTube channel, Kim Yong-min TV, on the 12th.
During a discussion with Kim Tae-hyung, co-director of the Psychological Research Institute, Kim asked, "Let me ask you one thing: who do you think attacked the Namu?"
"I suspect the U.S. might have been behind it… maybe Trump did it," Kim Tae-hyung replied.
Kim Yong-min responded, "Ah—bingo. I think so too," adding that when Trump suddenly expressed affection for Korea he thought, "He sent this," and repeatedly agreed with the suggestion.
They presented no direct evidence that the U.S. attacked the Namu. Instead, they argued repeatedly that circumstances could have given the U.S. a motive or opportunity to strike the vessel.
Kim Tae-hyung said Trump initially expected a short, victorious campaign against Iran, but as the conflict dragged on and fatigue set in, the U.S. might have sought to stoke tensions to manufacture a pretext for a favorable exit.
Kim Yong-min’s online outlet Peace Tree repeated the claim in an article titled "HMM Namu Attack, Suspected U.S. Involvement."
The outlet quoted Kim Tae-hyung saying he believes the U.S., unable to escalate into a full-scale war, may have used indirect pressure to shape international opinion and negotiation dynamics in its favor.
He predicted the U.S. could not sustain the war indefinitely and would struggle to preserve its hegemonic prestige through any peace process, arguing the U.S. would likely be compelled to abandon the conflict soon—further eroding its international standing.
◆ Past Cheonan conspiracy theories; record of alleging Mrs. Kim Geon-hee received sexual favors
Kim Yong-min rose to prominence in progressive circles after appearing on the podcast Naneun Kkomsuda (commonly known as "Nakkomsu"). The show promoted a conspiracy theory suggesting the 2010 sinking of the ROKS Cheonan was not the work of North Korea.
On the April 3, 2012 episode "Naneun Kkomsuda—Bongju Episode 10," host Kim Eo-jun argued that the truth must come out for the honor of the soldiers, saying he was not trying to definitively claim a submarine sank the Cheonan but noting that scientists had flown in from the U.S. to say they could not trust the data presented on the second anniversary—and that no scientific rebuttal had emerged.
On that broadcast they claimed that the Joint Investigation Command’s energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) data, particularly the data extracted from simulated explosion tests, had been manipulated. They also lent support to a submarine-collision theory, pointing to a round hatch they said was not present on the Cheonan at the time of the incident.
Kim currently faces trial over allegations that he raised claims accusing Mrs. Kim Geon-hee of accepting sexual favors ahead of the 2022 presidential election. A lower court fined him last year; he has appealed the verdict.
According to the indictment, on March 2, 2022—one week before the presidential vote—Kim posted on Facebook alleging that Yoon Seok-yeol, while a prosecutor, had accepted various gifts, including meat, and that he was strongly suspected of having received sexual favors from Kim Geon-hee in exchange for investigative favors.
Kim denied all charges at trial, but the court convicted him.
◆ Both the U.S. and Iran point to Iran, while Seoul remains silent
Meanwhile, the government officially confirmed on the 10th that the explosion aboard the Namu resulted from an external attack.
At a briefing, the foreign ministry said two unidentified aerial objects struck the outer plating of the HMM Namu's port-side ballast tank at the stern twice, roughly one minute apart, and that further investigation is needed to determine whether they were drones or missiles.
However, the government has yet to identify the attacker.
By contrast, President Donald Trump immediately blamed Iran for the attack in a Truth Social post shortly after the incident on the 4th.
Iran’s state-run Press TV and the state IRNA news agency also said they had targeted a South Korean vessel they alleged had violated maritime regulations.
