S. Korea says number of injured in fighter jet misfire rises to 29
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Defense Ministry spokesperson Jeon Ha-kyu says the updated injury count includes individuals experiencing ear damage from the explosions, along with cases of migraines and anxiety.
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South Korean firefighters move near a bomb accident site where a South Korean fighter jet accidentally dropped bombs on a civilian area during training, in Pocheon, South Korea, Thursday, March 6, 2025. (AP)
The number of people injured after South Korean fighter jets accidentally dropped bombs on a civilian area has risen to 29, including 15 civilians and 14 soldiers, the country’s Defence Ministry announced on Friday.
According to Defense Ministry spokesperson Jeon Ha-kyu, the latest count includes individuals suffering from ear damage due to the blasts, as well as cases of migraines and anxiety.
The incident occurred on Thursday when two South Korean fighter jets mistakenly released eight air-to-surface bombs over a civilian town. Video footage captured the powerful explosions, which shook homes and buildings.
The affected area, located in Pocheon—about 40 kilometres (25 miles) northeast of Seoul—lies just outside a designated training zone near the border with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
Nine of the injured remain hospitalised, with two in serious condition, the spokesperson confirmed.
Driving the news
The military explained that the misfire happened after a pilot entered incorrect coordinates, causing eight 500-pound (225 kg) Mk82 bombs to land outside the designated range during joint live-fire exercises.
The jet had been engaged in a joint live-fire drill alongside the South Korean Army, according to military officials. Yonhap news agency also reported that South Korea and the United States were conducting combined live-fire exercises in Pocheon, the same day of the incident.
In response, authorities have suspended live-fire drills until the cause of the accident is fully determined. However, the military stated that this incident would not impact the large-scale joint exercises between South Korea and the United States set to begin on Monday.
On Friday, near the Defense Ministry in Seoul, dozens of activists and residents from the affected town held a protest, calling for an end to military drills that endanger civilians.
“We, Pocheon citizens, are fundamentally questioning these ongoing military exercises,” said Lee Myoung-won, a Pocheon resident at the rally. He added that it remains unclear “who the military drills were providing security for and what they were for.”
It is worth noting that the incident comes ahead of the annual "Freedom Shield" military drills between South Korea and the United States, one of their largest joint exercises, set to begin later this month.
Military accidents are not unprecedented. In 2022, a South Korean Hyunmu-2 short-range ballistic missile malfunctioned and crashed into a military golf course in Gangwon Province after being launched in response to a DPRK missile test. Unlike the latest incident, that misfire did not cause any casualties or explosions.
