Damaged buildings in Pocheon, South Korea, after the air force said that Mk82 bombs fell from a KF-16 jet outside the shooting range during live-fire exercises near the demilitarised zone separating the two Koreas on Thursday
Damaged buildings in Pocheon, South Korea, after the air force said that Mk82 bombs fell from a KF-16 jet outside the shooting range during live-fire exercises near the demilitarised zone separating the two Koreas on Thursday
A South Korean village near the North Korean border was mistakenly shelled on Thursday by two fighter jets from the South’s own air force, leaving 15 people injured and damaging homes and a church.
The jets were taking part in a joint exercise with the US military when each of them dropped four bombs, according to the South’s military. The bombs were meant to hit a range several kilometres from the village, but at least one of the South Korean pilots had entered inaccurate coordinates, the military said.
Four of the injured people were seriously wounded and required surgery, said officials in Pocheon, a town that includes the village of Nogok, where the bombs fell. Of the other 11, seven suffered shock and minor scratches from falling down. None of the victims was in critical condition.
The military said it was suspending all live-fire drills while an investigation was carried out. The exercise Thursday was connected to annual joint exercises, known as Freedom Shield, that the South Korean and U.S. military carry out every year, and which are set to officially begin on Monday.
A woman in Nogok who runs a shop in her home said she was there when an “earthquake-like” explosion rattled the village, breaking windows in her house and in neighbors’ houses. Her home was 700 feet from the spot where the most serious damage was reported.
Photos carried by local news outlets showed a house in the village with parts of its walls and tiled roof blown away. They also showed damage to a Catholic church, and torn branches from pine trees strewn around.
The South Korean Air Force did not say how many of the eight bombs dropped had hit Nogok, which is about 20 miles from the heavily fortified North Korean border. It issued an apology and promised compensation for the victims.
New York Times News Service