SEOUL, March 6: Fifteen people were injured in South Korea on Thursday when bombs accidentally dropped by South Korean Air Force fighter jets landed in a civilian district during joint military exercises in Pocheon. The incident, which took place about 40 kilometers northeast of Seoul, resulted in damage to houses and a church. The Gyeonggi-do Bukbu Fire Services reported that two of the injured were seriously hurt.
According to the South Korean Air Force, the eight 500-pound (225kg) Mk82 bombs, dropped from KF-16 jets, fell outside the designated shooting range during a live-fire exercise. The Air Force issued a statement expressing regret for the damage caused by the “abnormal drop accident” and wished for a swift recovery for the injured.
The affected area, near the heavily militarized border with North Korea, has long been a source of concern for residents due to the potential dangers from nearby training grounds. Authorities evacuated local residents around midday while ensuring that no unexploded bombs remained in the area. Photographs from Reuters showed shattered windows and debris scattered around the church building.
The incident occurred as South Korea and the United States were conducting their first joint live-fire exercises in Pocheon ahead of their annual military drills, which are scheduled to start next week. These drills, part of the Freedom Shield exercise, aim to bolster the readiness of the South Korea-U.S. alliance in response to growing threats, including from North Korea. The drills will run until March 20 and will incorporate lessons learned from recent global conflicts, including North Korea’s increasingly close relationship with Russia.
South Korean and U.S. forces are scheduled to conduct about 70 combined field training sessions as part of this year’s exercise.
