Two South Korean fighter jets accidentally dropped eight bombs on a village near the inter-Korean border during a live-fire drill Thursday morning, injuring at least 15 people and damaging several buildings.
Two people were seriously injured, while 13 sustained minor injuries, according to fire authorities at around 2 p.m. Of the 13, 10 people were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.
One person, 60, was seriously injured via shrapnel embedded in their neck, and was transferred to Uijeongbu St. Mary’s Hospital, where they underwent surgery. Another person suffered a shoulder fracture.
Five of the 13 injured were identified as soldiers, military officials later added. Two others were foreign nationals: one person from Thailand and one from Nepal.
As all eight of the bombs detonated, seven civilian facilities, including homes, a cathedral and a greenhouse, were damaged, fire authorities said. Authorities continued to assess the extent of the damage throughout the afternoon. Residents were told to evacuate the area.