Seoul: Fifteen people were injured in South Korea on Thursday when two KF-16 fighter jets from the Air Force accidentally dropped eight air-to-surface bombs outside a designated training range during live-fire drills. The incident occurred around 10 a.m. in a village in Pocheon, located about 40 kilometers north of Seoul. The bombing caused injuries ranging from minor to serious, including two soldiers and two foreigners. Additionally, the explosion damaged a church and seven other buildings.
Fire authorities reported that two civilians suffered serious injuries to their face and shoulder but their conditions are not life-threatening. Eight others with minor injuries were also taken to hospitals for treatment. Authorities expect the number of injured to rise as more people seek medical attention. Around 50 local residents have evacuated to a town hall near the bombing site.
Military officials stated that the KF-16 jets, during a live-fire exercise, released four MK-82 bombs each outside the training area at 10:04 a.m. The Air Force has launched an investigation, led by Vice Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Park Ki-wan, and issued an apology for the civilian damage caused by the mishap. They expressed hope for the swift recovery of the injured and promised to take appropriate measures, including compensating the victims.
This incident marks the first accidental bombing by South Korean fighter jets that resulted in casualties. In 2004, an Air Force F-5B mistakenly released a practice bomb over Boryeong, south of Seoul, but there were no injuries in that case.
The bombing occurred earlier on the same day that South Korea and the United States conducted combined live-fire drills near the inter-Korean border. The drills were intended to demonstrate military strength against potential North Korean threats in anticipation of their joint spring exercises this month.