Fifteen people were injured, including two seriously, after two South Korean Air Force fighter jets accidentally dropped eight bombs in a civilian district during a military exercise in Pocheon, near the North Korean border.
The incident occurred on Thursday during routine drills aimed at maintaining combat readiness against potential threats from the North.
The South Korean Air Force confirmed that the mishap involved two KF-16 aircraft, with one of the pilots mistakenly inputting the wrong coordinates, causing the bombs to land outside the designated firing range. The reason for the second jet’s unintended bomb release remains under investigation. In response, all live-fire exercises have been suspended.
Among the injured, two individuals suffered fractures to their necks and shoulders, while a 60-year-old driver was struck by shrapnel. “I was driving when I heard a bang. When I woke up, I was in an ambulance,” the victim recounted to local media. Buildings, including a church and residential homes, sustained damage from the blasts, with shattered windows and collapsed roofs reported.
Authorities initially evacuated residents while a bomb disposal unit assessed the scene, but later confirmed that no unexploded bombs were found. The Air Force issued an apology and pledged to compensate those affected.
The incident occurred just days before scheduled joint military drills between South Korea and the US, set to run from March 10 to 20. These exercises, the first since US President Donald Trump’s return to office, come amid growing concerns over North Korea’s deepening ties with Russia.
Military accidents during live drills are rare but not unprecedented. In 2022, a short-range ballistic missile fired during a joint South Korea-US exercise malfunctioned, crashing onto a military base golf course and sparking panic among residents.
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