South Korean fighter jets accidentally drop bombs on civilian area

A routine military exercise turned into chaos in Pocheon, South Korea, when two KF-16 jets mistakenly dropped eight 500-pound bombs on a residential area, injuring 15 people, 2 of them seriously, the Air Force and fire agency said (via Reuters).

Houses were ripped apart, a church was damaged, and a construction vehicle was caught in the blast, leaving its occupants trapped and wounded. The accident, caused by a pilot entering incorrect coordinates, has reignited long-standing protests from residents who have warned for years about the dangers of military drills so close to civilian areas.

While authorities have temporarily suspended live-fire exercises to investigate, the incident will not disrupt the major joint military drills between South Korea and the United States scheduled for next week. For now, it remains to be seen how officials will address growing safety concerns from the local community.