Two South Korean Air Force pilots have been indicted for criminal negligence for an accidental bombing that injured 29 people and caused extensive damage in a village near the border with North Korea, the Defence Ministry said on Thursday.
Last week, during a live-fire exercise in Pocheon, the pilots had put in wrong coordinates into the systems of the aircraft. This specific mistake resulted in the launch of eight unguided bombs against the village, the ministry’s Criminal Investigation Command stated.
“The pilots face criminal negligence causing bodily harm, as per authority statement, investigation ongoing”. Both pilots have been grounded from flying duties and taken off their mission certifications and a full review is underway. 
The accidental bombing has re-ignited fears among locals who have been lashing out for years against the danger of military operations in the area. Pocheon and vicinity are also home to military training grounds that to both South Korea and the U.S. forces. Local residents have become more and more furious, hanging up banners calling for an immediate cancellation of the joint Freedom Shield military drills and a thorough investigation into the bombing.
In response to the incident, the Air Force chief of staff has given a formal apology and has stated that he would rework mission protocols to prevent similar accidents. In the meantime, North Korea has denounced the exercise, saying that such errors raise the risk of accidental armed conflict along the highly sensitive border.
