A) Waiting for definitive proof prevents Seoul from being prematurely drawn into a volatile military conflict between the U.S. and Iran.
B) The failure to immediately join U.S.-led security efforts encourages further unattributed attacks on commercial vessels in the strait.
C) Forensic evidence of a direct hit on a merchant ship makes the attack a clear violation of international law, regardless of the perpetrator.
D) South Korea’s measured response reflects the difficulty of protecting economic interests in a region where military and civilian lines are increasingly blurred.
