On Thursday, South Korean fighter jets inadvertently released eight bombs onto a civilian area in Pocheon, resulting in 15 injuries and damage to homes and a church during military training, according to the Air Force and fire department.
The fire department reported that 15 individuals sustained injuries, including two who were in serious condition.
Pocheon is situated approximately 40 kilometers (25 miles) northeast of Seoul, close to the heavily fortified border with North Korea.
“I heard a loud roar from the fighter jet, followed by an explosion. When I arrived at the site, I saw around four houses severely damaged, with people injured,” stated Oh Moung-su, a resident aged 65.
“Smoke billowed upwards, and water was gushing from a pipe. Individuals in a vehicle heading to a construction site were hurt—some could not escape the car, while another person outside was clutching his eye.”
According to South Korea’s Air Force, the two KF-16 jets dropped eight 500-pound (225 kg) Mk82 bombs outside the designated shooting range during joint live-fire training.
“We regret the damage caused by this unexpected drop incident, and we wish a swift recovery for the injured,” the Air Force conveyed in a statement.
The mishap was attributed to a pilot mistakenly entering incorrect coordinates, as stated by a military official who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the situation. The official added that each of the two jets released four bombs, all of which detonated.
Officials plan to pause live-fire exercises until a complete understanding of the incident is achieved, though the occurrence will not impact significant joint military exercises between South Korea and the U.S. set to begin on Monday, according to the official.
Residents in the vicinity have voiced concerns regarding the disturbances and potential risks posed by nearby training grounds for years.
Images from the scene depicted a house severely damaged by the explosion, broken windows, and debris scattered around a church building.
Surveillance footage broadcasted on local television captured the moments before the explosion, showing a pickup truck traveling down a tree-lined road prior to the area being engulfed in a large blast.
“The unimaginable has occurred,” remarked Pocheon city mayor Baeck Young-hyeun, who called on the government and military to adopt measures to avert any further damage to civilians.
Earlier on Thursday, the defense ministry announced that South Korean and U.S. forces were conducting their first joint live-fire exercises in Pocheon, in connection with upcoming annual military drills.
The Freedom Shield joint exercises, scheduled from March 10 to 20, are intended to enhance the readiness of the alliance against threats like North Korea, as noted by Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) before the incident.
This year’s drills will incorporate “lessons learned from recent armed conflicts” as well as address North Korea’s increasing alliance with Russia, they added.
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“Our planners analyze global trends and identify changes, working on how to integrate those aspects into our exercises,” stated Ryan Donald, a spokesperson for United States Forces Korea (USFK), during a media briefing on Thursday.
Lee Sung-jun, a spokesperson for Seoul’s JCS, indicated that approximately 70 combined field training sessions are planned for this year’s exercise.
