During a joint exercise with the U.S. military on Thursday, two South Korean fighter jets unintentionally dropped eight bombs on a civilian area, resulting in injuries to eight people.
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Via the Associated Press, the South Korean air force reported that MK-82 bombs, dropped by KF-16 fighter jets, landed outside the designated firing range. In an official statement, it issued an apology and extended wishes for the swift recovery of those injured. It pledged to provide compensation and take all necessary corrective measures.
The air force announced that its fighter jets joined the U.S. military for a one-day live-fire drill in Pocheon, near the heavily guarded border with North Korea.
Pocheon’s disaster response department reported that six civilians and two soldiers were injured and are being treated at local hospitals. Four of the civilians are in serious condition, including two foreign nationals—one from Thailand and one from Myanmar.
Three houses, a Catholic church, and a greenhouse were partially damaged, though they were apparently not directly hit by the bombs, the department said.
Harrowing footage purportedly shows the moment of impact of one of the bombs.
Footage has now been released which appears to show yesterday’s “accidental bombing” in South Korea, in which an ROKAF KF-16 Multirole Fighter dropped 8 Mk-82 500lb Bombs on the Town of Dong-myeon in the Gyeonggi Province, during a Live-Fire Exercise with the U.S. Air Force. pic.twitter.com/txb43krnoi
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) March 6, 2025
The air force also announced that a committee will conduct an investigation into the accident and assess the extent of the resulting damage.
An Investigation is Underway to Determine Why Military Jets Accidentally Dropped Eight Bombs on Town
A senior air force official revealed to local reporters that a pilot of one of the KF-16 jets had mistakenly entered incorrect coordinates for the bombing target. Meanwhile, a Defense Ministry official stated that a thorough investigation is required to understand why the second KF-16 also released bombs over a civilian area.
During a televised briefing, Pocheon Mayor Paek Young Hyeun called the bombings “awful.” He urged the military to pause drills in the city until steps are taken to prevent similar incidents. He highlighted that Pocheon, home to 140,000 residents, hosts three major firing ranges used by the South Korean and U.S. militaries.
The military announced on Thursday that it has decided to halt all live-fire drills across South Korea.
The accident occurred shortly before South Korean and U.S. militaries announced the launch of their large-scale annual drills, set to begin next Monday.
The live-fire training suspension will remain in place until the military determines the cause of Thursday’s accident and takes steps to prevent it from happening again, according to experts.