Fifteen hurt after SK fighter jets drop bombs by accident

According to local South Korean media reports, two South Korean Air Force fighter jets accidentally dropped eight bombs in a residential area during a live-fire military exercise on Thursday, injuring fifteen people, two of whom were seriously injured. The incident occurred in Pocheon, near North Korea, and involved KF-16 fighter jets from the South Korean Air Force as part of a routine exercise to counter potential attacks from North Korea.

The South Korean Air Force stated that it is investigating the incident, apologized for the damage caused, and promised to provide compensation to those affected. Although shells from live-fire exercises sometimes land near residential areas, injuries are rare. Local media reported that two people suffered neck and shoulder fractures, and a 60-year-old driver was hit in the neck by shrapnel when the explosion occurred.

According to a statement issued by the South Korean Air Force to the BBC, "Our KF-16 (fighter jets) abnormally dropped eight MK-82 bombs, landing outside the range." The military said that the pilot of one of the fighter jets mistakenly entered the coordinates, causing the bombs to fall in a residential area. Investigators have not yet determined the cause of the second fighter jet dropping bombs and have announced that all live-fire exercises will be suspended.

The incident also damaged a church building and some houses. Photos released by local media showed broken windows in one building and damage to the roof of a church. A local resident told Yonhap News Agency that he was watching television at home when the explosion occurred, and the sound of the explosion shook the house "like thunder." The director of a nearby elderly care center said that the building's windows were shattered and a teacher was injured and taken to the hospital. Although no elderly people were injured, they were "very scared, and we sent them all home."

Pocheon city authorities told the BBC earlier on Thursday that residents had been evacuated and a bomb disposal team was safely handling any unexploded bombs. But authorities later said they found no unexploded bombs at the scene. The Ministry of Defense said Thursday's training was related to joint exercises with the US military. South Korea and the United States plan to hold joint exercises from March 10 to March 20, the first since US President Donald Trump returned to the White House. At the same time, the two countries are increasingly wary of the growing alliance between North Korea and Russia. In another joint exercise held by South Korea and the United States in 2022, troops fired a short-range ballistic missile that malfunctioned and crashed on a golf course at a military base. Although the warhead did not explode, it still ignited a fire and caused panic among residents in the area.