South Korean fighter jet accidentally drops bomb on village during military drill

South Korea's air force has issued an apology after one of its fighter jets accidentally released eight bombs in the wrong location during a training exercise on Thursday. The incident resulted in 15 civilians being injured and several buildings damaged.

The air force stated that the eight MK-82 bombs, each weighing around 225kg, were unintentionally dropped by a KF-16 aircraft outside the designated firing range. “We deeply regret the accidental release of the bombs, which led to civilian casualties, and we wish the injured a quick recovery,” the air force said in a statement.

The incident took place around 10 a.m. local time (0100 GMT) in the village of Nogok-ri, located in the city of Pocheon, roughly 16 miles (25 km) from South Korea's heavily fortified border with North Korea.

An investigation has been launched by the air force, with South Korean media reporting that the bombs were dropped mistakenly due to the pilot entering incorrect coordinates. The incident occurred during preliminary live-fire exercises by the South Korean air force and army, ahead of the joint South Korea-US military drills called Freedom Shield, which are set to run from March 10 to 20. These drills are designed to prepare the allies for potential conflict with North Korea, which views them as preparation for an invasion.

As military authorities began investigating the cause of the accident, the live-fire exercises were temporarily suspended.

Pocheon's disaster response center confirmed that six civilians, including two from Thailand and Myanmar, were injured and hospitalized, while others experienced significant anxiety. Some victims sustained fractures to their necks and shoulders, though none of the injuries are considered life-threatening.

Locals have long expressed concerns about the noise, disruption, and risks posed by military exercises. One man, identified only as Park, described the moment of the explosion, saying, “I suddenly heard a massive explosion, like a thunderclap, and the entire house shook. When I went outside, everything was in chaos.”

Cheon Man-ho, 68, who lives just 20 meters from where one of the bombs fell, initially thought war had broken out. “The roof collapsed, windows shattered, and trees were all broken,” he said. “When I went outside to see what was happening, everything was destroyed, and black smoke was rising.”

Lee Poong-seop, 65, who has run a car business in the village for 30 years, recalled the loud explosion. "I was cleaning the car center when suddenly there was a ‘boom’ and the building shook violently," he said. "I’ve lived here my whole life, but I’ve never heard a sound like that before."

The military cordoned off the area to check for unexploded bombs, and an evacuation order was issued, but it was later confirmed that all eight bombs had detonated. Photos from the scene showed shattered windows and debris scattered across a church building. Local reports also indicated damage to five homes, a warehouse, a greenhouse, and a 1-tonne truck.

The air force announced the establishment of an accident response committee to investigate the incident and pledged to take necessary steps, including compensating those affected by the damage.

The national fire agency confirmed that the bombs were "presumed to have fallen on a village during a South Korea-US joint exercise," which resulted in several displaced residents.

At a nearby senior citizens' center, located about 1 km from the site of the explosion, people felt the impact. The center’s director, surnamed Yu, explained, “A sudden explosion shook the building, and the windows shattered. One of our teachers was injured and taken to the hospital. Thankfully, none of the seniors were hurt, but they were so frightened we sent them home.”

Although the Korean War ended in an armistice in 1953, the two Koreas remain technically at war, as no formal peace treaty has been signed.