Korean Air Force's pilot-only target coordination system may be behind accidental village bombing

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Korean Air Force's pilot-only target coordination system may be behind accidental village bombing

Published: 07 Mar. 2025, 17:49

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Windows lay shattered after misfired bombs fell on Pocheon, Gyeonggi, on March. 6. [NEWS1]

The South Korean Air Force's policy of placing full responsibility for target coordination on its pilots, rather than employing a more elaborate verification system to avoid potential disasters, has come under scrutiny after the accidental bombing of a village in Pocheon, Gyeonggi on Thursday.

The botched bombing which left 29 people injured — 15 of them civilians — was part of a preliminary joint live-fire drill by the Korea and the United States at the Seungjin Fire Training Field in Pocheon ahead of next week’s Freedom Shield joint exercise.

A total of eight MK-82 bombs were dropped on the village by two KF-16 fighter jets.

“It has been confirmed through the pilot’s testimony that the pilot entered the wrong coordinates during flight preparation,” a military official said to the press on Thursday.

Public criticism has emerged over the military’s policy which assigns a single pilot full responsibility for verifying target coordinates through a three-step process: initial coordinate entry, linking the coordinates to the aircraft and visual confirmation during flight.

A severely damaged church is seen here after eight bombs fell over Pocheon, Gyeonggi, during a Korean Air Force live-fire exercise on March 6. [YONHAP]

The Air Force believes the pilot mistyped the coordinates when entering them the day before the exercise. One day before the scheduled flight, pilots receive mission coordinates and enter them into mission planning equipment. The mistake occurred at this very first stage.

Opportunities to correct the error were also squandered. In the second step, before takeoff, the pilot is required to insert the planning equipment into the aircraft and verify that the displayed coordinates match the mission plan. The third step involves visually confirming the target area during flight and before launching weapons.

“Unlike the F-15K, which has two pilots, the KF-16 is a single-seat aircraft,” said a military expert, requesting to stay anonymous to JoongAng Ilbo, an affiliate of Korea JoongAng Daily. “At the very least, a cross-checking procedure should be established for coordinate entry.”

“There is a self-rechecking process, but there is no system where a flight leader, squadron commander, or air traffic controller verifies the coordinates,” said a military official.

A person in military uniform is seen at a severely damaged home after eight bombs fell over Pocheon, Gyeonggi, during a Korean Air Force live-fire exercise on March 6. [YONHAP]

During the disastrous exercise, five KF-16 fighter jets were divided into two and three-aircraft formations, with each aircraft scheduled to drop four MK-82 bombs.

However, two of the KF-16s never appeared at the training site, instead heading toward an unintended location due to the incorrect coordinates. The bombs landed on a residential area in Pocheon, which was approximately 8 kilometers away from the designated training range.

The village is just 30 kilometers from the Military Demarcation Line (MDL). Given that the actual impact point deviated by 8 kilometers from the intended target, a larger error to the north could have led to an accidental military confrontation between South and North Korea.

F-15K fighter jets are seen dropping bombs during a live-fire exercise in Pocheon, Gyeonggi, on March 6. [NEWS1]

“If a coordinate error occurred while a high-speed fighter jet was in motion, there is a possibility — however unlikely — that the bomb could have landed north of the MDL, prompting North Korea to perceive it as an attack and respond immediately,” said Park Won-gon, a professor of North Korean Studies at Ewha Womans University.

“The fact that South Korea made an unprecedented mistake during a South Korea-U.S. joint exercise could raise concerns about the capability of the South Korean military.”

This marks the first time an Air Force fighter jet has caused casualties due to a misfire during training. In 2004, a F-5B fighter jet misfired a practice bomb in Boryeong, South Chungcheong, but no injuries were reported.

A house lies damaged after the Air Force discharged eight bombs onto Pocheon, Gyeonggi, during a live-fire exercise on March 6. [YONHAP]

Concerns have also been raised over how such an error occurred at the Seungjin Training Field, where targets are clearly visible. Some have suggested that there may have been insufficient preliminary simulation training with dummy bombs before the live-fire drill.

“It has been confirmed that the lead aircraft entered incorrect coordinates, but we still need to verify the coordinates entered in the second aircraft,” an Air Force official said Thursday.

Additional reports indicate that the second aircraft had entered the correct coordinates but followed the lead aircraft’s incorrect targeting. The MK-82 bomb is an unguided weapon that falls freely when released.

It is speculated that the second aircraft, flying in formation, released its bombs simultaneously with the lead aircraft based on the lead pilot’s countdown signal.

“During flight, it is common for pilots to follow the lead aircraft’s actions rather than relying solely on pre-entered coordinates,” said a former Air Force pilot.

A house lies damaged after the Air Force discharged eight bombs onto Pocheon, Gyeonggi, during a live-fire exercise on March 6. [NEWS1]

However, despite the fact that both aircraft deviated from the training area, the pilots still dropped bombs on incorrect coordinates. This suggests not only pilot error but also a failure in the military’s command and control system during the exercise.

Criticism has also been directed at the military’s response after the accident.

Despite the bomb striking a residential area at 10:05 a.m., the scheduled live-fire training involving KF-16 and F-15K fighter jets continued as planned and concluded at 10:30 a.m.

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Kim Myung-soo and Commander of U.S. Forces Korea Xavier Brunson, who were observing the exercise, remained on-site and proceeded with their scheduled review of weapon systems.

This suggests a delay of over 30 minutes in briefing the military leadership. Kim was reportedly informed later and subsequently canceled his planned troop inspection before returning to the Joint Chiefs of Staff headquarters.

A church lies damaged after the Air Force discharged eight bombs onto Pocheon, Gyeonggi, during a live-fire exercise on March 6. [NEWS1]

As multiple casualties were reported and residents continued to file emergency calls, the military faced criticism for its delayed public notification.

The Air Force confirmed the misfire at 11:41 a.m., around 100 minutes after the accident. A military official said the Air Force noticed that the KF-16 had deviated from its expected flight path, but it took time to confirm where the bombs had landed.

“We deeply apologize to the residents of Nogok-ri, Pocheon, who were injured, shocked, and suffered property damage due to this unexpected accident,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Lee Young-soo in a statement. The Air Force has formed an accident countermeasure committee, led by Vice Chief of Staff Park Ki-wan, to investigate the exact circumstances of the accident and assess the damage.

Until the cause of the incident is fully determined, the military has suspended all live-fire training, including rifle shooting. While the computer-simulated Freedom Shield exercise will proceed as planned, outdoor field training exercises are speculated to be disrupted due to the suspension of live-fire drills.

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]