Updated March 6, 2025, 3:40 a.m. ET
TAIPEI, Taiwan – The South Korean military said pilot error caused two jets to accidentally drop bombs in a civilian area on Thursday during a live-fire exercise with U.S. forces near the North Korean border, injuring at least 15 people and causing extensive damage.
The two South Korean KF-16 fighter jets, both carrying four MK-82 bombs, dropped them outside the designated firing range, leading to unintended explosions in a civilian area, South Korea’s air force said.
“It has been confirmed through the pilot’s statement and other sources that the pilot entered the wrong coordinates during the flight preparation process,” an air force official told reporters during a press briefing.
Before taking off a mission, a pilot pre-programs target coordinates into a specific device. Once inside the aircraft, the pilot mounts this device onto the fighter jet, which then transfers the pre-entered coordinates to the aircraft’s system.
At this stage, the pilot must verify that the coordinates are correct. They must also recheck them while in the air and visually confirm them after deployment. This three-step verification process is entirely the pilot’s responsibility but the military said one pilot’s mistake led to both dropping their bombs on a civilian area.
“The original coordinates provided were not incorrect; the mistake occurred when the pilot entered them,” said the official, adding that another KF-16 pilot in the same squadron had input the correct coordinates, but since the exercise involved simultaneous bomb drops, the pilot who had entered the wrong coordinates led the other to release bombs at the incorrect position.
“We deeply apologize for the civilian casualties caused by this accidental bomb release and wish the injured a swift recovery,” said the air force in an earlier release. “We will take all necessary measures, including compensation for damages.”
The United States and South Korea on Thursday held combined live-fire drills near the city of Pocheon, just 25 kilometers (16 miles) south of the border to the North, in a show of firepower aimed at North Korea ahead of the allies’ annual springtime exercise this month.
Fire authorities said two civilian men have been seriously injured and taken to the hospital but noted their injuries to the face and shoulder are not life-threatening. Others with minor injuries have also been moved to hospitals for treatment.
Authorities expect the number of those injured to rise as more people have requested treatment.
Some 50 residents in the area have evacuated to a town hall away from the bombing site.
The explosion also caused extensive property damage, with two homes destroyed, they said.
The MK-82 bomb, commonly used for destroying buildings and bridges, creates an explosion crater approximately 8 meters in diameter and 2.4 meters deep, with a lethal radius comparable to the size of a football field.
Unlike guided munitions, the MK-82 is an unguided bomb, meaning it is manually released by the pilot under the guidance of ground personnel. The aircraft’s computer system calculates altitude, speed, and trajectory to estimate the bomb’s impact point.
An unintended release, or abnormal drop, can occur due to errors involving ground control, pilot operation, aircraft computer performance, or the bomb’s attachment system.
Thursday’s joint exercise mobilized more than 160 pieces of military hardware, including K2 tanks, K55A1 self-propelled howitzers, Apache attack helicopters and F-35A stealth jets, according to the South Korean military.
The drills began with U.S. and South Korean drones conducting reconnaissance missions against simulated threats and directing artillery firing before mechanized infantry troops and tanks moved in to secure target areas.
North Korea has consistently condemned the joint military exercises, describing them as invasion rehearsals, while South Korea and the U.S. emphasize that the drills are defensive in nature.
Edited by Mike Firn.
Updated to include comments from the South Korean Air Force.