Air Force’s misfire: the result of total complacency and lack of discipline
The unprecedented accidental bombing of a civilian area on March 6 was revealed to be a result of the Korea Air Force’s overall lack of discipline. The Air Force announced the interim results of its investigation into the incident Monday. According to the findings, two KF-16 fighter jets that took off from the Seosan Air Base mistakenly dropped eight MK-82 unguided bombs on a civilian area in Nogok-ri, Pocheon, about 10 kilometers from the training ground target. The Air Force identified the cause of the accident as an input error by the fighter pilots when entering coordinates.
![Scene of accidental fighter jet bombing. This photo, taken from a closed-circuit television camera and provided by broadcaster MBN on March 7, 2025, shows a bomb dropped accidentally from a fighter jet exploding in a village in Pocheon, some 40 kilometers north of Seoul, the previous day. Two Korean Air Force KF-16 fighter jets mistakenly released eight MK-82 air-to-surface bombs outside a training range, leaving 15 civilians and 14 soldiers injured.[YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/03/11/80e12128-0c42-41fc-8c23-4b00a6e0f7ca.jpg)
The problem, however, lies in the complacency exposed during the investigation. The fighter pilots mistakenly entered the target’s latitude into the Joint Mission Planning System (JMPS) in their office the day before the flight but did not go through a verification process to ensure accuracy. Even more troubling, the second fighter jet failed to receive data from the JMPS before takeoff and had to manually re-enter the correct coordinates, yet still dropped its bombs on the wrong location, following the first jet’s lead. The first pilot, in particular, visually confirmed that the target area looked different from the intended terrain but still falsely reported “target confirmed” before pressing the release button. Three opportunities to prevent the accident were squandered due to a lack of due diligence.
The Air Force’s negligence did not end there. The unit commander, who should have meticulously overseen the live-fire exercise, delegated responsibilities to a battalion commander and did not receive a direct report from the pilots. Even after the incident occurred, the Air Force took 14 minutes to report it to the Air Force Operations Command. The delay in notifying emergency services and the police also hindered rescue operations and efforts to prevent civilians from approaching the danger zone. The incident has revealed critical systemic flaws, from input errors to response measures and delayed reporting.
![Investigators examine the site of an accidental fighter jet bombing over a village in Pocheon, some 40 kilometers north of Seoul, on March 7, 2025, one day after two Korean Air Force KF-16 fighter jets mistakenly released eight MK-82 air-to-surface bombs outside a training range, leaving 15 civilians and 14 soldiers injured. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/03/11/bf37e27f-b933-4355-b563-2fbd0854d0fc.jpg)
What kind of impression would North Korea have of our military upon witnessing this reality? On Monday, North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles towards the Yellow Sea, using the ongoing joint South Korea-U.S. military exercises as an excuse. Yet, the South Korean military’s only response has been to say, “We are maintaining full readiness.” Air Force Chief of Staff Lee Young-soo bowed his head in apology on Monday, stating, “The Air Force, which is responsible for protecting the lives and property of our citizens, has instead endangered public safety.” He added, “I am not attached to my position. I will work with a determination to root out bad practices and ensure that such an accident never happens again.” Whether these words will translate into real action remains to be seen.
The military has frequently faced suspicions of cover-ups and downplaying incidents whenever accidents occur. This time must be different. The investigation must be thorough, and those responsible must be held accountable so that the military can use this as an opportunity for fundamental reform. The Ministry of National Defense has announced an investigation into the accident. Given the gravity of this unprecedented civilian bombing and the systemic issues that have been exposed, shifting all the blame onto individual pilots or settling for an apology from the Air Force chief is just not enough. The responsibility for this breakdown in discipline ultimately lies with the top military leadership, including the Ministry of National Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Translated using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
Scene of accidental fighter jet bombing. This photo, taken from a closed-circuit television camera and provided by broadcaster MBN on March 7, 2025, shows a bomb dropped accidentally from a fighter jet exploding in a village in Pocheon, some 40 kilometers north of Seoul, the previous day. Two Korean Air Force KF-16 fighter jets mistakenly released eight MK-82 air-to-surface bombs outside a training range, leaving 15 civilians and 14 soldiers injured.[YONHAP]
The Air Force’s negligence did not end there. The unit commander, who should have meticulously overseen the live-fire exercise, delegated responsibilities to a battalion commander and did not receive a direct report from the pilots. Even after the incident occurred, the Air Force took 14 minutes to report it to the Air Force Operations Command. The delay in notifying emergency services and the police also hindered rescue operations and efforts to prevent civilians from approaching the danger zone. The incident has revealed critical systemic flaws, from input errors to response measures and delayed reporting.
Investigators examine the site of an accidental fighter jet bombing over a village in Pocheon, some 40 kilometers north of Seoul, on March 7, 2025, one day after two Korean Air Force KF-16 fighter jets mistakenly released eight MK-82 air-to-surface bombs outside a training range, leaving 15 civilians and 14 soldiers injured. [YONHAP]
What kind of impression would North Korea have of our military upon witnessing this reality? On Monday, North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles towards the Yellow Sea, using the ongoing joint South Korea-U.S. military exercises as an excuse. Yet, the South Korean military’s only response has been to say, “We are maintaining full readiness.” Air Force Chief of Staff Lee Young-soo bowed his head in apology on Monday, stating, “The Air Force, which is responsible for protecting the lives and property of our citizens, has instead endangered public safety.” He added, “I am not attached to my position. I will work with a determination to root out bad practices and ensure that such an accident never happens again.” Whether these words will translate into real action remains to be seen.
The military has frequently faced suspicions of cover-ups and downplaying incidents whenever accidents occur. This time must be different. The investigation must be thorough, and those responsible must be held accountable so that the military can use this as an opportunity for fundamental reform. The Ministry of National Defense has announced an investigation into the accident. Given the gravity of this unprecedented civilian bombing and the systemic issues that have been exposed, shifting all the blame onto individual pilots or settling for an apology from the Air Force chief is just not enough. The responsibility for this breakdown in discipline ultimately lies with the top military leadership, including the Ministry of National Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Translated using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
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