2025 Pocheon bombing
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| 2025 Pocheon bombing | |
|---|---|
 A CCTV still of an explosion after the bombs were dropped | |
| Location | Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea |
| Date | 6 March 2025 10:04 KST (UTC+09) |
Attack type | Accidental aerial bombing |
| Injured | 24 civilians, 14 soldiers |
On 6 March 2025, two South Korean Air Force KF-16 jets accidentally dropped a total of eight Mark 82 bombs on a civilian-populated area in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, injuring 38 people, close to a bombing range.[1] The accident occurred during a joint drill that took place between South Korea and the United States.[2][3]
Bombing
[edit]_(8019450415)_(cropped).jpg)
The bombing took place at 10:04 KST. According to the South Korean military, a KF-16 pilot entered incorrect coordinates before releasing Mark 82 bombs on a civilian-populated area. A second jet later also dropped its bombs; the cause is being investigated. A total of eight Mark 82 bombs were dropped.[3]
Reports stated thirty-eight people were injured, including two seriously.[4] 163 buildings, a church and three vehicles were badly damaged.[5][3][1]
The live-fire exercise at the Seungjin Science and Technology Training Center,[6] involving about 500 troops and over 150 pieces of military equipment, was preparatory to the forthcoming annual 11-day non-stop Freedom Shield joint exercise on 10 to 20 March.[7][8]
Air force officials stated there should have been three target verification steps, when pre-loading the coordinates from a storage device into the KF-16, during the flight, and finally visually confirming the target.[6]
Aftermath
[edit]After the bombing, residents of Pocheon were evacuated as bomb disposal teams searched for unexploded ordinance. The South Korean military said that live fire exercises were suspended in the aftermath of the bombing. The South Korean Air Force said they were investigating the incident and that they would compensate its victims.[3][5] Two senior air force officials, a colonel and a lieutenant colonel, were dismissed by the Republic of Korea Air Force for breaching their legal duties and poorly overseeing safety details.[4]
Reactions
[edit]For many years residents have protested about the disturbance and danger from the nearby training grounds,[7] and on the day following the incident residents and activists held a rally outside the Ministry of National Defense to demand a halt to military drills that threaten residents' lives.[1]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c "South Korea says number injured in fighter jet misfire rises to 29". Reuters. 7 March 2025. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
- ^ Park, Ju-min; Yim, Hyunsu (6 March 2025). "South Korea air force jets accidentally drop bombs on homes, injuring 15". Reuters. Retrieved 6 March 2025.
- ^ a b c d Kwon, Jake; Lee, Hosu; Ewe, Koh (6 March 2025). "Fifteen hurt after SK fighter jets drop bombs by accident". BBC News. Retrieved 6 March 2025.
- ^ a b "2 senior Air Force officials dismissed over Pocheon bombing". Korea JoongAng Daily. 11 March 2025. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
- ^ a b Ryall, Julian (6 March 2025). "South Korean fighter jet mistakenly bombs town near Seoul". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 6 March 2025.
- ^ a b Charpentreau, Clément (6 March 2025). "Pilot targeting mistake suspected in South Korean fighter jets village bombing". AeroTime. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
- ^ a b Ju-Min Park; Yim, Hyunsu (7 March 2025). "South Korea air force jets accidentally drop bombs on homes, injuring 15". Reuters. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
- ^ Hyo-jin, Lee (8 March 2025). "S. Korea, US to stage 1st major joint military drills under Trump 2.0". The Korea Times. Retrieved 7 March 2025.