Live-fire drills to resume in South Korea, two months after jets accidentally bombed town
According to Yonhap News Agency, this week, the Air Force will start to consecutively resume live-fire drills at training ranges each located in the western coast and the inner mountain regions of Gangwon Province, the armed service said in a notice to reporters.
On March 6, the KF-16 fighter jets mistakenly dropped eight MK-82 bombs outside a training range in Pocheon, some 40 kilometres north of Seoul, injuring 52 people and prompting the Air Force to halt all live-fire drills.
The Air Force has completed safety evaluations at the training facilities prior to the resumption of live-fire drills, intended to maintain military readiness, it said.
Still, live-fire drills at the Seungjin Fire Training Field in Pocheon will continue to be put on hold, the Air Force said, adding it will review the issue going forward.
Both the Air Force and the defence ministry have pointed to pilot error over the unprecedented bombing of a civilian town, with the two pilots believed to have erroneously entered the target coordinates prior to the live-fire drills.
The pilots have been booked over charges of professional negligence resulting in injury and damaging military facilities. They have also been suspended from air duty for one year. — Bernama-Yonhap
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
12 hours ago
- Malay Mail
BTS agency HYBE raided by S. Korean police over founder's alleged RM600m IPO fraud
SEOUL, July 24 — HYBE, the agency behind K-pop superstars BTS, was raided by police today in connection with alleged fraudulent trading involving its founder Bang Si-hyuk, investigators said. 'We are conducting a search and seizure at HYBE's headquarters in Yongsan District,' the Financial Crimes Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said in a brief statement. Bang, the mastermind behind BTS, is under investigation over allegations that he misled early investors to reap illicit profits from the company's 2020 initial public offering. He is accused of gaining around 200 billion won (approximately RM616,000) through the process, according to local reports. HYBE has denied Bang committed any wrongdoing. 'We will dutifully clarify that the listing at the time was carried out in compliance with all relevant laws and regulations,' the company said in a statement in early July, pledging 'active cooperation' with authorities to get to the bottom of the case. The investigation comes as all seven BTS members complete their mandatory military service and prepare for a comeback next year. HYBE announced earlier this month that a new album and world tour were scheduled for 2026. BTS, known for championing progressive causes, holds the record as the most-streamed group on Spotify and became the first K-pop act to top both the Billboard 200 and Billboard Artist 100 charts in the US. Before their military service, BTS generated more than 5.5 trillion won (RM16.9 billion) in yearly economic impact, according to the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute. That accounts for roughly 0.2 per cent of South Korea's total GDP, according to official data. — AFP
Malay Mail
2 days ago
- Malay Mail
BTS flight data leak: South Korea probes airline staff, two others over celeb privacy breach
SEOUL, July 23 — Three individuals, including an employee of a foreign airline, have reportedly been referred for prosecution in South Korea for allegedly acquiring and selling the flight details of celebrities, including members of BTS. According to a report in The Korea Herald, the airline staff member is suspected of accessing internal systems to obtain the information and passing it to others, who then sold it via social media channels. Citing industry sources, the report said the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency found evidence of both unauthorised access and financial transactions worth tens of millions of won. Entertainment company Hybe, which represents BTS, was said to have played a key role in advancing the investigation by monitoring online activity and submitting evidence to authorities. 'We maintain a zero-tolerance policy toward crimes that commercialize and traffic in artists' personal information,' Hybe reportedly said. The case has raised fresh concerns over repeated privacy violations by 'sasaeng' fans who attempt to track celebrities during flights, according to the report.
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Malay Mail
Police seek search warrant for HYBE chairman Bang Si-hyuk over alleged stock fraud
SEOUL, July 22 — Police have requested a search warrant for HYBE chairman Bang Si-hyuk in connection with alleged fraudulent trading under the Capital Markets Act, it was reported yesterday. The warrant application was submitted on July 17 by the Financial Crimes Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, targeting both Bang and HYBE's headquarters in Yongsan-gu, according to a Chosun Biz report. Bang is suspected of misleading existing investors, including venture capitalists, about delays in HYBE's IPO plans before its 2019 listing. He also allegedly facilitated the sale of HYBE executive shares to a special purpose company created by a private equity fund they had set up. 'The prosecution is reportedly reviewing whether to request the search warrant submitted by the police,' the report said. Police have also asked to transfer the case to avoid overlapping investigations, as prosecutors are already handling a related complaint. The prosecution received the complaint on July 18 from financial authorities and assigned the case to the Financial and Securities Crime Joint Investigation Unit of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office. In early July, Bang was questioned by police and financial regulators over allegations tied to undisclosed earn-out contracts ahead of HYBE's IPO, with the Financial Services Commission later filing a criminal complaint. HYBE has said it informed investors and pledged full cooperation with authorities.
