Two South Korean fighter jets accidentally dropped eight bombs on a civilian area during a military training exercise on Thursday, injuring at least 15 people and causing extensive property damage, according to South Korean military officials. The incident occurred in Pocheon, a city near the heavily fortified border with North Korea, during a joint live-fire drill with the South Korean Army.
The South Korean Air Force confirmed in a statement that two KF-16 fighter jets were participating in the exercise when they "abnormally dropped" 500-pound MK-82 bombs outside the designated firing range. Initial findings suggest that one of the pilots mistakenly input the wrong coordinates for the bombing target. A defense ministry official told reporters that further investigation is needed to determine why the second fighter jet also released bombs in the civilian area.
The air force apologized for the incident and said it would compensate affected residents. It also announced plans to establish a committee to investigate the cause of the accident and assess the scale of civilian damage.
Pocheon Mayor Baek Young-hyun described the bombing as "awful" and called for an immediate halt to military drills in the city until stronger safeguards are put in place. "The scene of the incident is chaotic, resembling a battlefield," Baek said in a televised statement. Pocheon, a city of 140,000 people, is home to three major firing ranges used by the South Korean and U.S. militaries.
KF-16 Fighter Jet Accidentally Drops Bombs on Civilian Area in
South Korea |
On March 6, 2025, a #SouthKorean KF-16 fighter jet accidentally dropped eight MK-82 #bombs on a civilian area in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, during a live-fire exercise with U.S. forces. The incident,… pic.twitter.com/TECDUxhvzH — NexDef (@nex_def) March 6, 2025
According to the city's disaster response center, six civilians and two soldiers were injured, with four civilians in serious condition. Two of the seriously wounded were identified as foreign nationals-one from Thailand and the other from Myanmar. Meanwhile, the National Fire Agency reported that 15 people were injured, including two who were seriously wounded.
The blast caused significant structural damage, destroying two residential buildings, part of a church, and a truck. Images from the scene showed thick smoke rising from the rural area.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff announced that all live-fire drills in Pocheon would be suspended until the investigation is completed. However, the military stated that the upcoming large-scale joint U.S.-South Korea exercises, known as "Freedom Shield," scheduled for March 10-20, would proceed as planned.
The Freedom Shield drills regularly trigger strong reactions from North Korea, which views them as preparations for an invasion. In previous years, Pyongyang has responded to such exercises with missile tests and threats against the U.S. and South Korea.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has repeatedly criticized the joint drills, accusing the U.S. and South Korea of escalating tensions in the region. In 2023, as U.S. strategic bombers participated in joint air drills, North Korea launched ballistic missile tests in protest, according to South Korea's military.
