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Pocheon bombing probe shows pilots' three-step target verification process failed

Published: 10 Mar. 2025, 16:06

Korean Air Force Chief of Staff Lee Young-su bows after delivering a public apology in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on March 10. [NEWS1]

A military probe revealed Monday that the two KF-16 fighter pilots responsible for accidentally bombing Pocheon, Gyeonggi, entered the wrong target coordinates despite a three-step verification process.

The jets dropped a total of eight MK-82 unguided bombs on a residential area instead of the training field at approximately 10:04 a.m. on Thursday during a Korea-U.S. joint exercise near the Seungjin Fire Training Field in Pocheon, ahead of this week's Freedom Shield exercise.

MK-82 bombs — each weighing around 230 kilograms (507 pounds) — are used to destroy buildings or bridges and can leave a crater 2.4 meters (7.87 feet) deep and 8 meters wide. The kill range of the ordnance is that of one-third of an average football field, about 2,400 square meters.

Shrapnel from the bomb can travel 1.2 kilometers (0.75 miles) radius in open land.

The Air Force, in its interim report on Monday, said that the cause of the accidental bombing was an error in the pilot's input of coordinates despite the presence of three separate verification steps.

A probe revealed that the incident occurred because the pilot mistyped one digit out of seven in the coordinate set used to designate the target.

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]

Pilots input necessary flight data, including coordinates, during preflight preparations on the ground into the Joint Mission Planning System (JMPS). This data is then stored in the Data Transfer Cartridge (DTC) and inserted into a slot in the fighter jet's cockpit, where it is uploaded into the aircraft's mission computer.

According to the interim report, the two pilots involved in the incident prepared for their mission on Wednesday by entering target coordinates for the next day's live munitions exercise.

The pilot of the lead aircraft read out the route coordinates, including the target, while the second pilot entered them into the JMPS. However, the incorrect latitudinal target coordinate was entered during the process.

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]

It remains unclear whether the lead pilot misread the coordinates or if the second pilot made an error while entering them. The pilots were required to verify the accuracy of the entered coordinates, but they failed to do so, missing their first opportunity to correct the coordinates.

During the preflight inspection on the day of the accident, both pilots transferred the data, which included the incorrect coordinates, from the JMPS to the DTC.

However, due to a technical malfunction, the data was not saved correctly in the second pilot's DTC. As a result, the second pilot manually entered the target coordinates into the cockpit system. On this occasion, the coordinates were entered correctly.

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

Consequently, the lead aircraft had incorrect target coordinates, while the second aircraft had the correct ones.

During the final preflight inspection on Thursday, both pilots rechecked the route and target coordinates, but the lead pilot once again failed to recognize the input error, missing a second chance to correct the mistake.

While in flight, the lead pilot noticed discrepancies between the flight path and the terrain compared to previous training exercises but trusted the displayed navigation data and proceeded with the mission.

In an effort to meet the designated impact time, the pilot hurriedly confirmed the target to the Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) without visually verifying it. This marked the third missed opportunity to identify the mistake before dropping the bombs.

Windows lay shattered after a bomb fell on Pocheon, Gyeonggi, after the ordnance was misfired on March. 6. [NEWS1]

The live-fire exercise was designed for both aircraft to practice dropping their munitions simultaneously to concentrate firepower on a target.

Although the second pilot had the correct target coordinates, both pilots were focused on maintaining close formation for simultaneous release and failed to notice the discrepancy. Following the lead aircraft's actions, the second pilot also dropped bombs at the incorrect location.

As of Monday, a third round of damage assessment in the Nogok-ri area recorded 152 cases of reported damage. Nineteen civilians suffered injuries.

Military personnel inspect the scene of the accidental bombing in Pocheon, Gyeonggi, on March. 6. [NEWS1]

Korean Air Force Chief of Staff Lee Young-su issued a public apology on behalf of the military on Monday, taking full responsibility for the Pocheon bombing on Thursday.

“I extend my deepest apologies and condolences to the residents of Nogok-ri and the service members affected by this accident,” Lee said. “I sincerely hope for the swift recovery of those still hospitalized.

“We will do everything possible to ensure swift recovery efforts, medical and psychological support and compensation so that the affected residents can return to their daily lives as soon as possible.”

Gyeonggi Gov. Kim Dong-yeon, third from right, sees a site where mistakenly released bomb fell in Pocheon, Gyeonggi on March 7. [YONAHP]

The Ministry of National Defense said it will open investigations into the Air Force on Monday.

The ministry will investigate the entire training process, from the preparation stage to execution and post-training, focusing on pilot mission performance, training control and management, reporting systems and response procedures.

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]