A fighter jet from the South Korean Air Force accidentally dropped eight bombs this Thursday during a live-fire exercise in Pocheon, 50 kilometers north of Seoul. The incident caused damage to several homes and left seven people injured, according to authorities.
The projectile struck in the Idong-myeon district of Pocheon, destroying seven buildings, including a church. Four people were seriously injured and three sustained minor injuries.
According to a statement from the Air Force, they expressed regret for the damage caused to the civilian population and wished for a speedy recovery for the injured. A single bomb can create a crater up to 8 meters in diameter and has a similar impact radius to that of a football field.
Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances of the error and whether there were failures in safety protocols during the exercise. Measures will be implemented to compensate those affected.
The Air Force has established a response committee to investigate the causes of the accident and assess the damage. The incident occurred outside the training area, within the framework of joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States, in preparation for the annual Freedom Shield exercise, about 25 kilometers from the border with North Korea.
Various aircraft participated in the maneuvers, including F-35A, F-15K, and FA-50 fighters. The bombs involved in the incident, identified as MK-82, are high-destructive power devices used to attack infrastructures such as bridges and buildings.
