"South Korean Air Force jets mistakenly drop bombs on residential area, injuring 15."

Summary

South Korean fighter jets mistakenly dropped eight Mk82 bombs outside the designated area during military drills in Pocheon, injuring 15 people and damaging homes and a church, according to the Air Force and fire agency. Residents have long protested against such drills, which are linked to upcoming South Korea-US joint exercises. Pocheon, located about 40 km (25 miles) northeast of Seoul, is near the heavily militarized border with North Korea.

"There was a sudden, thunderous roar of a fighter jet, followed by a powerful explosion," said Oh Moung-su, a 65-year-old resident. "When I arrived at the scene, I saw four houses torn in half by the blast, with people injured."

"Smoke and dust filled the air as water gushed from a ruptured pipe. A vehicle carrying workers to a construction site was caught in the explosion—some passengers were trapped inside, while another stood outside, clutching his eye."

South Korea's Air Force confirmed that during joint live-fire exercises, two KF-16 jets accidentally dropped eight 500-pound (225kg) Mk82 bombs outside the designated shooting range.

[1/8]A forensic officer takes photographs of a building damaged after South Korea's Air Force said that Mk82 bombs fell from a KF-16 jet outside the shooting range during joint live-fire exercises near the demilitarized zone separating two Koreas in Pocheon, South Korea, March 6, 2025. REUTERS/Kim... Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tabRead more

"The Air Force expresses regret for the damage caused by the abnormal drop incident and wishes the injured a swift recovery," the statement read.

A military official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, stated that the accident resulted from a pilot entering incorrect coordinates. The official added that both jets released four bombs each, all of which detonated.

Authorities have suspended live-fire exercises pending a thorough investigation into the cause of the incident. However, the official noted that this would not impact the large-scale joint military drills between South Korea and the United States set to commence on Monday.

Residents in the area have long voiced concerns over the disruption and potential hazards posed by nearby training grounds.

Images from the scene revealed a house devastated by the impact, with shattered windows and debris scattered across a church building.

>