South Korean fighter jets accidentally dropped bombs on a civilian area during a live-fire training exercise with the U.S. on Thursday, injuring multiple people and damaging multiple buildings, including three houses and a Catholic church.

The MK-82 bombs “abnormally” released by the KF-16 fighter jet fell outside a firing range, causing unspecified civilian damages, the air force said in a statement.

South Korean Air Force F-35A fighter jets fire flare shells during the joint military drill between South Korea and the United States at Seungjin Fire Training Field in Pocheon, South Korea, Thursday, March 6, 2025.  (Yonhap via AP)

South Korean media reported that the accident happened in Pocheon, a city near the heavily armed border with North Korea. In a televised briefing, Pocheon Mayor Paek Young-hyun called the bombings “awful” and urged the military to halt drills in the city until it formulates reliable steps that can prevent a recurrence. He said that Pocheon, a city of 140,000 people, provides three major firing ranges for the South Korean and U.S. militaries.

The military later said it has decided to suspend all live-fire drills across South Korea. Observers say the military will resume firing exercises after it learns the exact cause of Thursday’s accident and maps out steps to prevent recurrences.

Three houses, a Catholic church and a greenhouse were partially damaged but they did not appear to have been directly hit by the bombs, according to the Pocheon department.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.