The South Korean Air Force says it accidentally dropped eight bombs in the wrong place during a training exercise.
The South Korean Air Force says one of the fighter jets accidentally dropped eight bombs in the wrong place during a training exercise, resulting in civilian injuries.
“Eight MK-82 general purpose bombs were abnormally released from an Air Force KF-16 aircraft and landed outside the designated range of fire,” the Air Force said Thursday.
The incident occurred around 10am (01:00 GMT) in Pocheon, about 16 miles (25km) south of the heavily strengthened border with nuclear-armed North Korea.
“We deeply regret the unintended release of the bomb, resulting in civilian casualties and hope for a prompt recovery for the injured,” the Air Force said in a statement.
It said it had established an Accident Response Committee to investigate the incident and “we will take all necessary measures, including compensation for damages.”
The Air Force said the military jets were “participating in a joint operational movement involving both the Air Force and the Army.”
South Korea had held a total live-action training with the US in Pocheon on Thursday, state-funded Yonghap News Agency reported.
South Korea’s National Fire Service said the bomb was “estimated to have fallen into the village during a joint South Korea-US movement.”
This added that “has resulted in a lot of damage to victims and property, and many displaced people are residents,” four people suffered serious injuries and three minor injuries.
According to the statement, one church building and two house sections have been damaged.
One of the security allies’ biggest annual joint exercises, Joint South Korea’s “Freedom Shield” military exercises, is scheduled to begin later this month.
The two South Koreas have been technically at war ever since the conflict between 1950 and 1953 ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty.
The US station is intended to protect Seoul from tens of thousands of soldiers in the south, some from Pyongyang.
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