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2mo ago

South Korean Pilots Charged After Accidental Bombing of Village Near DMZ

Two air force pilots face criminal negligence charges for a training error that injured 43 and caused significant property damage in Pocheon.

A police officer walks at a cordoned area after South Korea's Air Force said that Mk82 bombs fell from a KF-16 jet outside the shooting range during joint live-fire exercises near the demilitarized zone separating two Koreas in Pocheon, South Korea, March 6, 2025. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji
Officials inspect an area with damaged buildings after South Korea's Air Force said that Mk82 bombs fell from a KF-16 jet outside the shooting range during joint live-fire exercises near the demilitarized zone separating two Koreas in Pocheon, South Korea, March 6, 2025. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji
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Overview

  • The accidental bombing occurred during a live-fire exercise when incorrect target coordinates were entered by one pilot, with the second pilot following the flawed lead.
  • Eight unguided MK-82 bombs struck a residential area in Pocheon, injuring 43 people, including 29 civilians and 14 soldiers, and damaging multiple buildings.
  • South Korea's Defense Ministry has suspended all live-fire drills pending further investigation and has dismissed two senior officers for oversight failures.
  • The Air Force chief of staff issued a public apology, pledging to review and improve safety protocols to prevent such incidents in the future.
  • North Korea criticized the mishap, warning that such errors near the border risk escalating tensions and potentially sparking conflict in the region.