South Korea’s Air Force confirmed on Thursday that one of its fighter jets accidentally released eight bombs outside of a designated training area, resulting in civilian injuries. The bombs, MK-82 general-purpose bombs, were dropped by a KF-16 aircraft during a live-fire exercise in Pocheon, approximately 25 kilometers (16 miles) south of the border with North Korea.
The incident occurred around 10:00 AM local time, and the Air Force expressed deep regret over the unintended release, which caused casualties. In a statement, the Air Force wished a swift recovery to those injured and said it had formed an accident response committee to investigate the event. They also promised to take all necessary steps, including providing compensation for damages.
The military jet had been involved in a joint live-fire exercise with both the South Korean Air Force and Army, which was part of combined drills with the United States. The bombs were presumed to have landed on a village during this exercise, leading to casualties, property damage, and the displacement of residents. According to the South Korea National Fire Agency, four people sustained serious injuries, and three suffered minor injuries. Additionally, one church building and parts of two houses were damaged in the blast.
A local resident, surnamed Park, recalled the terrifying moment of the explosion. “I suddenly heard an enormous explosion, like a thunderclap, and the whole house shook,” he said. “When I went outside, everything was in chaos.”
The blast was also felt a kilometer away at a senior center. The director, surnamed Yu, said, “The sudden explosion shook the building, and the windows shattered. One of our teachers was injured and taken to the hospital. Thankfully, no seniors were hurt, but they were so frightened that we sent them home.”
The incident comes amid the joint “Freedom Shield” military exercises between South Korea and the United States, one of their largest annual drills. The exercises are set to begin later this month. Despite the armistice signed after the Korean War, the two Koreas technically remain at war, and the U.S. maintains a significant military presence in the South to deter North Korean aggression.
This is not the first time such an incident has occurred. In 2022, a South Korean missile accidentally crashed into a military golf course after being launched in response to a North Korean missile test, though it did not explode, and no injuries were reported.
