South Korea’s live-fire drill went horribly wrong when the fighter jets accidentally dropped bombs on houses, injuring more than two dozen people. The horrific incident occurred on Thursday when the country’s fighter jets were training with US forces.
The South Korean Air Force reported that ten bombs struck civilian areas after they landed outside of the designated firing range, according to CNN. The bombs, eight MK-82 general-purpose bombs and two KF-16 fighter jets landed around 10:07 a.m. local time. The Air Force described that the bombs were “abnormally dropped” and struck infrastructure in Pocheon city, located northeast of the capital Seoul, destroying two residential buildings. The bombs from the South Korean fighter jets also damaged a church and a truck.
Authorities said that at least 29 people were injured, including 14 soldiers and 15 civilians, per a report. Two of the civilians sustained critical injuries. Mayor Baek Young-hyun of Pocheon described the scene as “chaotic, resembling a battlefield.” According to CNN, the incident occurred during a live-fire drill between the South Korean Army and the US military. The exercise was part of the yearly joint US-South Korea “Freedom Shield” military drills.
The media was told by South Korea’s military that there will not be any live-fire drills going forward until an investigation is completed. While the live-fire training is suspended, other military drills that were scheduled will proceed. The authorities also expressed that they would compensate for damages, and the Air Force apologised to those injured, wishing the victims a speedy recovery.
The Air Force also shared that they are considering the possibility of malfunction. Additionally, South Korea’s defence ministry shared a pilot may have input incorrect bombing coordinates based on initial findings.
A statement from a United States Forces Korea (USFK) spokesperson denied that any US Air Force aircraft were a part of the drill. The USFK is also aiding in the investigation, per the report.
Military exercises for the Freedom Shield were set to start on March 10 and conclude on March 20. These exercises are intended to improve and reinforce the joint defence capabilities of the United States and South Korea alliance, according to Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff.