North Korea said today that the recent unintentional bombing of a populated area by South Korean fighter jets during a training flight shows that the incident could trigger a new armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula, its state news agency reported, quoted by Reuters and BTA.
On Thursday, two South Korean fighter jets mistakenly dropped eight "air-to-ground" bombs over a village near the military border with North Korea, injuring 29 civilians in an incident that the South Korean military said was likely caused by pilot error.
The area near the border is home to a regularly used military training ground.
"There is no need to explain how the situation would have developed if the bombs had fallen further north and crossed our border," the state-run KCNA news agency said.
"It is not at all unreasonable to assume that an accidental spark could plunge the Korean Peninsula and the world into a new armed conflict in response to the malicious large-scale joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea," the agency said.
On Monday, the South Korean and American militaries began their annual "Freedom Shield" exercises, which will continue until March 20, but after the bombing incident they suspended the exercises with live fire.
North Korea regularly condemns the allies' joint military exercises, calling them a dress rehearsal for war against it.
South Korea has rejected the accusations, stressing that the exercises are defensive and aimed at maintaining the readiness of its military against North Korean aggression.
Pyongyang: Unintentional bombing of Seoul near border shows us that a new armed conflict is possible VIDEO
The incident occurred during a training flight
Mar 12, 2025 06:36 102
