2 fighter jets accidentally drop 8 bombs on civilian area

During a live-fire joint training exercise between South Korea and the U.S., two South Korean Air Force fighter jets mistakenly dropped bombs on a civilian area, resulting in an unprecedented accident that left more than 10 people injured. The Air Force attributed the incident to the pilot’s incorrect input of target coordinates. Some in the military suspect that the prolonged vacancy in key leadership positions, including the Minister of National Defense, due to the aftermath of the December 3 Martial Law declaration, may have contributed to a lapse in discipline.

According to military and fire authorities, at approximately 10:05 a.m. on Thursday, multiple bombs fell and exploded on the road near Nangyu Bridge in Nogok-ri, Idong-myeon, Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province. As a result, 15 people, including five soldiers, suffered serious or minor injuries, while several houses, a church, and vehicles were damaged.

The Air Force explained that two KF-16 fighter jets, en route to the Seungjin Firing Range in Pocheon for the joint live-fire exercise, had each dropped four MK-82 general-purpose bombs—eight in total—approximately eight kilometers away from their intended target. The MK-82 bombs are unguided and rely on free-fall deployment.

“It has been confirmed that the pilot made an error when inputting the (target) coordinates before the mission,” an Air Force official stated at a press briefing. “It appears that neither ground nor airborne personnel properly verified whether the coordinates were correctly entered before the bomb release.” The military announced that it would suspend all live-fire training exercises, including those involving rifles, until the exact cause of the accident is determined.

At 11:41 a.m., about an hour and a half after the accident, the Air Force issued a text message to reporters covering the Ministry of National Defense, stating, “Eight MK-82 general-purpose bombs were abnormally dropped from KF-16 fighter jets and landed outside the firing range. We are investigating the cause of the incident, assessing damages, and will actively implement all necessary measures, including compensation for the victims.” However, criticism has arisen over the delayed response, as the first official announcement came more than 90 minutes after the unprecedented misfire incident injured multiple civilians.


Sang-Ho Yun ysh1005@donga.com