Seul, South Korea – at least 15 people were injured in South Korea on Thursday after a combat plane accidentally fell eight bombs in a civil area during training linked to joint military exercises with the United States, said the officials of the South Korean Air Force and firefighters.
The South Korean army said that the training in Pocheon, a city in the northeast of approximately 140,000 people near the border very fortified with North Korea, was in preparation for Freedom Shield, a military exercise between the United States and South Korea that will begin on Monday.
Just after 10 am local time (8 pm on Wednesday ET), eight 500-pound MK-82 pumps were “abnormally released” by a KF-16 Air Force, landing outside the designated shooting field, said the South Korean Air Force in a statement.
Two of the 15 people were civilians with serious but not potentially mortal injuries, fire authorities said to journalists. Those with minor injuries included two soldiers who were in a military chapel and two foreign citizens who were in the area.
Eight buildings also suffered damage, authorities said, including the chapel, five houses, a warehouse and a greenhouse.
The photographs of the scene showed debris in the church and residences with shattered windows. The residents were being evacuated while the authorities searched any without exploiting bomb.
The combat plane was participating in a combined exercise of living fire that involved both the Air Force and the South Korean army, the Air Force said, added that he was investigating the cause of the accident and the reach of the damage.
“We sincerely regret the civil damage caused by this accidental release and wish the rapid recovery of the injured,” said the Air Force. “The Air Force will actively implement all necessary measures, including damage compensation.”
The mayor of Pocheon, Baek Young-Hyun, asked that all military training be completely suspended, describing what happened as a “horrible accident.”
“The government must recognize the seriousness of this accident and respond with a quick and decisive action,” he told reporters.
South Korean officials said early Thursday that US and South Korean forces were celebrating combined drills of living fire in Pocheon in their first exercise this year.
The US forces Korea sent requests for comments to the South Korean army.
South Korea, an ally of the United States Treaty, houses about 28,000 members of the US service. The Freedom Shield exercise, which extends from March 10 to 20, is designed to strengthen the combined defense position of the alliance against the growing threats of North Korea with nuclear weapons.
Since last year, North Korea has deepened his association with Russia, even sending weapons and troops to support his war in Ukraine.
After Thursday’s accidental bombardment, the People Government Power Party urged a quick and transparent investigation, immediate support and compensation plans for affected residents and improvements security measures for training in civil areas.
“Since military training is carried out near the civil areas, ensure that the highest level of security management must be a priority,” said Chief spokesman Kim Dae-Sik in a statement, and added that the accident “raises serious concerns about basic security controls and management protocols.”
Moon Sung-Mook, a superior military expert at the Korean Research Institute for the National Strategy in Seoul, said it was not clear if the problem was with the pumps themselves, a maintenance problem, a failure with the plane or human error.
“It will take some time to determine the exact cause, but it is important to analyze the cause and establish preventive measures,” News told NBC in an interview.
Stella Kim reported from Seoul and Peter Guo reported from Hong Kong.
