On March 6, eight MK-82 bombs, loaded on a KF-16 fighter jet, were accidentally fired into a civilian area in the “Republic of Korea (ROK)”. This incident occurred over the Seungjin firing range in Pocheon, some 40 kilometers north of Seoul, during the US-“ROK” combined joint live-fire exercises.
According to the authorities, at 10:05 AM on the same day, a bomb fell near Nangyudae Bridge in Nogok-ri, Idong-myeon, Pocheon City. As of now, 15 people have been injured, with 10 of them being transported to the hospital. The fire department has categorized the injuries as 2 seriously wounded and 13 with minor injuries.
In addition to the human casualties, 8 buildings were damaged, with shattered windows and collapsed walls. Specifically, a church, 5 houses, a warehouse, and a greenhouse were affected, along with partial damage to a porter vehicle.
The MK-82 bomb dropped is used for destroying buildings and bridges. It creates a blast crater with a diameter of 8 meters and a depth of 2.4 meters. The blast radius of one bomb is roughly the size of a soccer field.
Authorities have set up a restricted area near the village and are maintaining control. Around 40 households within the control zone have evacuated to the community center and other shelters.
The mayor of Pocheon has called for a complete halt to the US-“ROK” joint military exercises.
Meanwhile, Eom Hyo-sik, the secretary-general of the National Defense and Security forum and former Public Information Officer of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, raised suspicions, stating, “Originally, the training grounds at Seungjin are used by the army at the battalion level, where tanks, self-propelled artillery, and armored vehicles conduct joint exercises. There is no reason for the Air Force to be involved in that location.” He questioned whether the exercise was a so-called “showcase” training.
