Multiple individuals sustained injuries on Thursday after a fighter jet mistakenly released bombs over a civilian zone during a training exercise.
According to an air force statement, the KF-16 fighter jet “abnormally” discharged MK-82 bombs that landed outside the designated firing range, resulting in unspecified damage to civilian property.
While reports varied, South Korean indicated that 15 people, including both civilians and soldiers, were injured. The reported that two of the injured sustained serious, but not life-threatening, injuries. At least seven structures suffered damage.
The stated that the fighter jet was participating in joint live-fire exercises with the army. An apology was issued for the incident, and a commitment was made to form a committee to probe the accident’s cause and assess the full scope of the resulting damage.
The air force has not disclosed the location of the incident, but South Korean media sources have reported that it occurred in Pocheon, a city situated near the heavily fortified border with North Korea.