A South Korean fighter jet mistakenly dropped eight bombs on a civilian village during joint live-fire drills with the United States military, injuring at least 15 people and damaging several buildings, according to officials.
The incident occurred on Thursday morning near the city of Pocheon in northeastern Gyeonggi Province, approximately 50 kilometers (32 miles) northeast of Seoul and 25 kilometers (16 miles) south of the border with North Korea. South Korea’s National Fire Agency reported that 10 of the injured required hospitalization, with two in serious condition. Among the wounded were two soldiers and two foreign nationals.
The South Korean Air Force confirmed the blunder, stating that an Air Force KF-16 aircraft “abnormally released” eight MK-82 general-purpose bombs outside the designated firing range. The MK-82 is a U.S.-made munition, while the KF-16 is a South Korean-produced variant of the American F-16 fighter jet.
A church and at least seven other buildings in the village sustained significant damage in the accidental bombardment, fire authorities said.
“We deeply regret the unintended release of the bombs, which resulted in civilian casualties, and wish those injured a swift recovery,” the air force said in an official statement.
An investigation, led by Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff Park Ki-wan, is underway to determine the cause of the incident. Initial reports from the Yonhap news agency suggest that pilot error may have been responsible for the misfire.
A local resident recounted the terrifying moment, telling Yonhap, “I suddenly heard an enormous explosion, like a thunderclap, and the whole house shook. When I went outside, everything was in chaos.”
The Korea Herald reported that the misfire took place during a large-scale joint military exercise involving multiple fighter jets from both South Korea and the U.S.
This incident marks another mishap in a series of recent military accidents in South Korea. In late 2024, three civilians were injured following an explosion at a military logistics center in the city of Gimhae. Additionally, last October, a failed launch of a Hyunmoo-2 short-range ballistic missile caused a fire and explosion at a military base in Gangneung, though no injuries were reported.
Authorities have assured the public that measures will be taken to prevent such incidents in the future, as the investigation into the latest accident continues.
