Two Air Force pilots booked over Pocheon bombing

Two South Korean Air Force jet pilots were booked Thursday, charged with occupational negligence over their accidental bombing of a civilian village last week, the Defense Ministry said.

The Defense Ministry recently confirmed pilot error as the main cause of the accident on March 6, in which two KF-16 fighter jets dropped eight MK-82 bombs on a village in Pocheon, located near the inter-Korean border.

The pilots failed to drop the bombs on the training range, which was located in the border city some 40 kilometers north of Seoul, during a live-fire drill after entering incorrect coordinates. The accident injured 38 people, including 24 civilians.

"The Criminal Investigation Command under the Ministry of Defense has found and confirmed in the ongoing investigation to date that the pilots' erroneous entry of target coordinates was the direct cause of the accident," the ministry said in a notice to reporters.

“This is why, as of March 13, the two pilots were booked on charges including causing injury due to occupational negligence,” it added.

The ministry vowed to continue its in-depth investigation into the matter.

If found guilty, the pilots could face a maximum prison sentence of five years or a fine of up to 20 million won ($13,700) for breaching Article 268 of the Criminal Act, which is causing injury by occupational negligence.

The announcement comes two days after the Air Force dismissed two unit commanders — a colonel and a lieutenant colonel — who were responsible for overseeing safety protocols in the drill.