Fighter jets accidentally drop bombs on civilians, church during training

During a joint live-fire training exercise with the United States on Thursday, South Korean fighter jets unintentionally released bombs over a civilian area, injuring several people and damaging multiple structures, including homes and a Catholic church.

According to an air force statement, MK-82 bombs were “abnormally” dropped by a KF-16 fighter jet outside the designated firing range, causing harm to civilians and damaging property.

The exact number of people injured varied across reports, but South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reported 15 injuries, including both civilians and soldiers. Two individuals sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries, while at least seven buildings were damaged.

The air force confirmed the jets were participating in joint drills with the army and issued an apology for the incident. Officials pledged to form a committee to investigate the cause of the mishap and assess the full extent of the destruction.

Local media reported the incident occurred in Pocheon, a city near the North Korean border that hosts three major firing ranges. In a televised statement, Pocheon Mayor Paek Young-hyun described the event as “awful” and urged the military to suspend drills in the area until it can implement measures to prevent similar incidents.

The military later announced it would pause all live-fire exercises nationwide while it investigates the accident and works on safety protocols to avoid future occurrences.

Although three homes, a Catholic church, and a greenhouse were damaged, local authorities stated the structures did not appear to have been directly struck by the bombs.