An Air Force jet on Thursday accidentally dropped bombs in a civilian district of South Korea during military exercises in Pocheon, injuring eight people and damaging houses and a church.
Gyeonggi-do Bukbu Fire Services said out of the eight people wounded, two were seriously hurt.
DAILY POST reports that Pocheon is about 40 kilometres (25 miles) northeast of Seoul, near the heavily militarised border with North Korea.
According to South Korea’s Air Force, eight 500-pound (225kg) Mk82 bombs from a KF-16 jet fell outside the shooting range during joint live-fire exercises.
“We are sorry for the damage caused by the abnormal drop accident, and we wish the injured a speedy recovery,” the Air Force said in a statement.
Meanwhile, residents in the area have protested about the disturbance and potential danger from nearby training grounds for years.
The defence ministry had earlier said that South Korea and the US forces were holding their first joint live-fire exercises in Pocheon, linked to annual military drills due to start next week.
South Korea air force jet accidentally drops bombs on homes, injuring eight
