South Korea blames pilots for bombing village
The incident, ahead of major joint drills with the US, left 29 people injured after a settlement near the North Korean border was pounded from the air
South Korean military investigators have charged two Air Force pilots with criminal negligence following the bombing of a village near the border with the North which resulted in at least 29 civilian injuries and significant property damage.
The incident occurred on March 6, when two KF-16 fighter jets mistakenly released eight MK-82 bombs over the settlement of Nogok-ri, Pocheon, near the North Korean border, during a live-fire exercise.
“The Criminal Investigation Command has confirmed in the probe to date that the pilots’ erroneous entry of target coordinates was the direct cause of the accident,” the defense ministry said on Thursday, according to Yonhap News Agency. The charged pilots have been relieved from flight duties, and their flight certifications are under review.
The bombing injured at least 29 people, including 15 civilians, with two individuals sustaining serious injuries. The explosions, which occurred outside the designated firing range, caused extensive damage to civilian structures, including five houses, a church, a warehouse, and a greenhouse.
Footage of a bomb falling on the village of Nogok in South Korea.
Latest data, 15 people, including two soldiers, were injured as a result of a mistaken bomb drop by a fighter jet of the national air force.
Before this, a bomb was dropped by mistake back in 2004. pic.twitter.com/wb2LLryKak— MissRedPillUp (@makingtrailsKY) March 6, 2025
In response to the incident, the South Korean Air Force has suspended all live-fire exercises and grounded training flights pending a thorough investigation. The Air Force Chief of Staff has apologized and pledged to review mission procedures to prevent similar occurrences in the future.