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.

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.