South Korean Fighter Jets Accidentally Strike Homes: 15 Civilians Injured in Shocking Incident

Seoul, South Korea
CNN

In a live-fire drill with US forces, South Korean fighter jets accidentally dropped bombs on homes, injuring over a dozen people. This incident took place on Thursday morning, as confirmed by South Korea’s military.

Two KF-16 jets released eight MK-82 bombs that misfired and struck areas outside the intended range around 10:07 a.m. local time. These bombs hit civilian buildings in Pocheon city, located northeast of Seoul.

The South Korean defense ministry believes the accident happened because a pilot mistakenly entered the wrong coordinates for the bombing.

Local media captured images showing smoke rising from the aftermath of the blasts in a rural area.

The explosions caused injuries to 15 civilians, two of whom were severely hurt. Fortunately, there were no reports of cardiac arrests or unconsciousness.

The blasts destroyed two homes, damaged a portion of a church, and wrecked a truck.

Pocheon Mayor Baek Young-hyun described the area as chaotic, likening it to a battlefield in the aftermath of the incident.

The fighter jets were part of a joint live-fire exercise with the US military as part of the “Freedom Shield” military drills. Following this event, the South Korean military halted all live-fire training until an investigation is completed. They have created a response team to look into what happened and will offer compensation for the damages caused.

The air force has issued an apology for the civilian damage and wishes a swift recovery to those injured. Officials are also exploring the possibility of equipment malfunction as a cause of the incident.

The Freedom Shield drills, scheduled from March 10 to March 20, aim to strengthen the defense alliance between the US and South Korea. However, these exercises often upset North Korea, which sees them as threats.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has criticized the US and South Korea for increasing tensions with their exercises, often responding with aggressive rhetoric. In 2023, during similar drills with US bombers, North Korea carried out a ballistic missile test.

This report has been updated to reflect new information.

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