Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan says the sinking of the "Cheonan" naval vessel was caused by a North Korean torpedo.

Yu made the remark on Wednesday after he gave a speech at a luncheon meeting of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in Korea.

Asked by reporters whether he believes the sinking was caused by a North Korean attack, the minister said he certainly does.

In his speech at the meeting, Yu said that the assessment by a multinational team of investigators indicates that the Cheonan sank due to an explosion generated by the detonation of a torpedo.

The minister said the government will take appropriate actions in regards to the case and will continue cooperation with related countries for the North's denuclearization.