South Korean military accidentally drops bombs on village, 7 injured
What's the story
A South Korean military aircraft accidentally dropped eight bombs outside a designated firing range during a training exercise on Thursday. The incident occurred in Pocheon, about 25km south of the border with North Korea, at around 10:00am (0100 GMT). The Air Force said their KF-16 aircraft accidentally dropped MK-82 general-purpose bombs, injuring seven civilians.
Civilian impact
Bombs damage village during joint military drills
The bombs fell in a village during joint South Korea-US military drills, damaging a church and portions of two residential buildings. The National Fire Agency confirmed that residents were displaced due to the incident. A local resident described the explosion to Yonhap as "like a thunderclap," causing chaos and damage to nearby structures.
Official response
Air Force expresses regret, launches investigation
The Air Force has expressed "deep regret" over the accidental release of the bombs and wished for a speedy recovery for the injured. An investigation committee has been formed to look into the incident, with promises of compensation for damages. This incident comes ahead of the major "Freedom Shield" exercises between South Korea and the United States later this month.