South Korean fighter jets accidentally drop bombs, injuring 8 people

The MK-82 bombs released by the KF-16 fighter jets fell outside a firing range, the air force said in a statement. It apologized and expressed hopes for a speedy recovery of the injured and said it would offer compensation and take other necessary steps.

The air force said the fighter jets were taking part in the one-day firing drill with the U.S. military in Pocheon, a city close to the heavily armed border with North Korea.

South Korean Air Force F-35A fighter jets fire flare shells during the joint military drill between South Korea and the United States at Seungjin Fire Training Field in Pocheon, South Korea, Thursday, March 6, 2025. (Yonhap via AP)
South Korean Air Force F-35A fighter jets fire flare shells during the joint military drill between South Korea and the United States at Seungjin Fire Training Field in Pocheon, South Korea, Thursday, March 6, 2025. (Yonhap via AP)

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The air force also said a committee would investigate the accident and examine the scale of the damage inflicted.

An unidentified air force official told local reporters that a pilot of one of the KF-16s had entered wrong coordinates for a bombing site. An unidentified Defense Ministry official told reporters that further investigation was needed to determine why the second KF-16 also dropped bombs on a civilian area.

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South Korea army soldiers stand guard near a bomb accident site where a South Korean fighter jet accidentally dropped bombs on a civilian area during training, in Pocheon, South Korea, Thursday, March 6, 2025. (Yonhap via AP)
South Korea army soldiers stand guard near a bomb accident site where a South Korean fighter jet accidentally dropped bombs on a civilian area during training, in Pocheon, South Korea, Thursday, March 6, 2025. (Yonhap via AP)

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In a televised briefing, Pocheon Mayor Paek Young Hyeun called the bombings “awful” and urged the military to halt drills in the city until it formulates reliable steps that can prevent a recurrence. He said that Pocheon, a city of 140,000 people, provides three major firing ranges for the South Korean and U.S. militaries.

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