Seoul, South Korea – A military training exercise took a dangerous turn when a fighter jet mistakenly dropped eight bombs in a civilian area in Pocheon, South Korea, injuring seven people, four of them seriously. The incident occurred near the border with North Korea during a live-fire exercise involving the Air Force KF-16 aircraft. Although only one bomb exploded, a bomb disposal team is working to safely dispose of the remaining seven unexploded bombs, leading authorities to evacuate residents living nearby.
Local media reports indicated that two individuals suffered fractures to their necks and shoulders, with one 60-year-old driver sustaining shrapnel injuries to the neck during the unexpected explosion. The Korean Air Force acknowledged the abnormal release of the bombs and expressed regret for the incident, pledging compensation for those impacted by the mishap. According to Yang Uk, a military expert at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, the altitude at which the bombs were dropped may have prevented some from exploding as intended.
In addition to human injuries, the stray bombs caused damage to a church building and nearby houses, as illustrated by images in local media. Witnesses described the explosion as resembling a thunderclap, shaking homes in the vicinity. A senior citizen care center suffered broken windows, and one teacher was transported to the hospital for injuries sustained during the incident, although no elderly residents were harmed.
The training exercise was reportedly part of a joint drill with US forces, scheduled amid heightened concerns about North Korea’s evolving relationship with Russia. The upcoming combined drills between South Korea and the US from March 10 to March 20 mark the first since Donald Trump’s presidential term. A previous joint drill in 2022 resulted in an unintentional missile malfunction that sparked panic when it crashed on a military base golf course, underscoring the risks associated with military exercises.