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South Korean fighter jet ‘accidentally’ drops bombs on civilian area, 8 injured
A South Korean KF-16 fighter jet accidentally dropped eight bombs on a civilian area during a training exercise on Thursday.
The incident has reportedly injured eight people and occurred in Pocheon, a city close to the border with North Korea, Reuters reported. It is about 40 kilometres northeast of the capital Seoul.
In a statement, the South Korean Air Force said that the MK-82 bombs “abnormally” released by the KF-16 fighter jet fell outside a firing range, causing unspecified civilian damages.
The statement quoted by the Associated Press also said that the Air Force would establish a committee to investigate why the accident happened and examine the scale of civilian damages.
The fighter jet was taking part in the air force’s joint live-firing drills with the army, the statement disclosed.
The air force apologized for causing civilian damages and expressed hope that those who have been injured due to the incident will have a speedy recovery. It said it will actively offer compensation and other necessary steps for victims.
Yonhap news agency reported six civilians and two soldiers were injured. According to the report by Yonhap, the conditions of two of the injured were serious but not life-threatening. It also said seven buildings were damaged.
An official with Gyeonggi-do Bukbu Fire Services said out of the eight people wounded, two were seriously hurt, Reuters reported.
Residents in the Pocheon area have protested about the disturbance and potential danger from nearby training grounds for years.
The country’s defence ministry said earlier on Thursday that South Korea and US forces were holding their first joint live-fire exercises in Pocheon, linked to annual military drills due to start next week.
South Korea and the United States are scheduled to kick off their annual Freedom Shield exercise on Monday. The joint drills, which will run until March 20, aim to strengthen the readiness of the alliance for threats such as North Korea.
HINDUSTAN TIMES