Seul, South Korea – South Korea’s military investigators accused two pilots of the Criminal Negligence Air Force on Thursday for an accidental bombardment of a village last week during a training exercise, which wounded at least 29 people and caused damage to extensive property.
The investigators of the Ministry of Defense have confirmed that the errors of the pilots when they entered coordinates in the aircraft systems were “direct factors” behind the accidental bombardment, said the Ministry’s criminal investigation command in a statement.
The pilots were accused of criminal negligence that caused bodily damage, the command said, added that the incident’s investigation is ongoing.
Eight air pumps were launched not guides from two combat planes and landed in a town in Pocheon near the border with North Korea during living fire exercises.
Several areas in Pocheon and neighboring regions have training fields used by the South Korean and American military.
Residents have complained for years of the possible security risks and the disturbances of the military units that are mobilized in the area.
The two pilots have been withdrawn from flight tasks and a review of the certification of their flight mission has been scheduled, said a ministry official.
The chief of Air Force apologized by the accident and promised to review the mission procedures to avoid similar incidents.
North Korea, which routinely denounces military drills by the South Korean and American military, has said that the accident showed the risk that simulations will trigger armed conflicts, citing the possibility that the bombs could have fallen north of the border.
