US-South Korea Military Drills Begin as Investigation Continues Into Accidental Bombing

The Freedom Shield exercises proceed without live-fire training after South Korean jets mistakenly bombed a civilian area, injuring 30 people.

The annual Freedom Shield military exercises between the US and South Korea started on Monday and will run through March 20, focusing on readiness against regional threats.
Live-fire training has been suspended after two South Korean fighter jets mistakenly dropped bombs on a civilian area during a pre-exercise drill, injuring 30 people, including two seriously.
South Korea's air force attributed the bombing to pilot error involving incorrect coordinates and a failure to visually confirm the target before bombing.
North Korea condemned the drills as a 'dangerous provocative act,' warning they could escalate tensions and lead to accidental conflict on the Korean Peninsula.
The exercises mark the largest joint military drills since President Donald Trump began his second term, occurring against the backdrop of heightened North Korean rhetoric and nuclear ambitions.