Fifteen people were injured after two South Korean fighter jets accidentally dropped bombs in a civilian area. The incident happened during a live-fire military exercise in Pocheon, near the North Korean border, on Thursday morning.
The South Korean Air Force confirmed that two KF-16 jets mistakenly released eight Mk-82 bombs. The military said a pilot had entered the wrong coordinates, causing the bombs to land outside the firing range. The reason for the second jet’s bomb drop is still under investigation.
The accident caused severe damage to houses and a church. A local resident said the explosion sounded “like a thunderclap” and shook his house. A senior citizen care centre also suffered damage, with shattered windows and injuries to a staff member.
“Our KF-16 (jet fighter) abnormally dropped eight shells of MK-82 bombs. It landed outside of firing range,” said Korea’s Air Force in a statement to reporters. Investigators have yet to determine why the second jet dropped its bombs, the military said.
Among the injured, two people suffered serious fractures. One 60-year-old driver had shrapnel lodged in his neck. “I was driving when I heard a ‘bang’. When I woke up, I was in an ambulance,” he told Yonhap.
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Authorities evacuated residents while a bomb disposal team inspected the area. However, no unexploded bombs were found.
The South Korean Air Force apologized for the incident and promised compensation to the victims.
“We are sorry for the damage caused by the abnormal drops. We wish the injured persons a speedy recovery”, the Korean air force said in a statement.
The live-fire drills have been suspended, but the joint military exercise with the US Air Force will continue. South Korea and the US are scheduled to conduct further drills from March 10 to March 20, making the first since US President Donald Trump’s return to the White House. This comes at a time when the two countries are increasingly wary of the growing alliance between North Korea and Russia.