While a joint military exercise between South Korea and the United States is underway in Pocheon, South Korea, an incident occurred on the 6th when a South Korean Air Force fighter jet participating in the exercise dropped bombs on a civilian area, resulting in injuries to civilians.

The Air Force stated in a text notification that at around 10:04 a.m., eight MK-82 general-purpose bombs were accidentally dropped from a KF-16 fighter jet, landing in a region outside the shooting range.

On the morning of the 6th, during the joint firepower live-fire training between South Korea and the United States, an object believed to be a shell fell on a civilian residence in Idong-myeon, Pocheon City, causing damage to the house. /Courtesy of Yonhap News

The Air Force has formed an accident response committee chaired by Vice Chief of Staff Park Gi-wan. The committee is investigating the exact circumstances and damage of the incident.

An Air Force official said, "We sincerely apologize for the civilian casualties caused by the accidental drop incident and wish for a quick recovery of the injured," and noted, "We will actively implement all necessary measures, including compensation for damages."

The MK-82 bomb that fell on the civilian area is designed to be used for destroying buildings and bridges, creating a blast crater with a diameter of 8 meters and a depth of 2.4 meters, and it is dropped using a non-guided method. The KF-16 is the main fighter jet of the South Korean Air Force.