South Korean fighter jets dropped eight bombs on a residential district by accident on Thursday during military operations in Pocheon, wounding 15 people and damaging homes and a church, according to the Air Force and fire agency.
According to the fire department, 15 individuals were injured, including two critically hurt.
Pocheon is approximately 40 kilometers (25 miles) northeast of Seoul, on the heavily militarized border with North Korea.
South Korea’s Air Force said eight 500-pound (225kg) Mk82 bombs from two KF-16 jets fell outside the shooting range during joint live-fire exercises.
The Air Force said in a statement “We are sorry for the damage caused by the abnormal drop accident, and we wish the injured a speedy recovery” .
The accident was due to a pilot entering incorrect coordinates, said a military official who declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter.
The official said that the two jets then dropped four bombs each, with all of them detonating.
Authorities would suspend live-fire exercises until there was a clear understanding of what went wrong, but the incident would not affect major joint South Korean and U.S. military exercises due to begin on Monday, the official said.
Residents in the area have protested about the disturbance and potential danger from nearby training grounds for years.
“The unthinkable has happened,” said Pocheon city mayor Baeck Young-hyeun, who urged the government and military to come up with measures to prevent any further civilian damage.
