Migrant workers reel from accidental airstrike northeast of Seoul

A truck is severely damaged in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, Friday, after Republic of Korea Air Force KF-16 fighter jets accidentally dropped multiple MK-82 bombs during a military exercise the previous day. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

By Kwak Yeon-soo

• Published Mar 7, 2025 11:09 PM KST
• Updated Mar 9, 2025 3:54 PM KST

POCHEON, Gyeonggi Province — Son Joy, a Bangladeshi worker in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, was stunned when he learned about Thursday’s accidental airstrike on a civilian area roughly an hour and a half northeast of Seoul.

Two South Korean KF-16 fighter jets mistakenly dropped eight MK-82 bombs in the city near the tense border with North Korea. The accident occurred during a live-fire drill conducted by South Korean and U.S. forces as part of preparations for their annual Freedom Shield exercise, scheduled for Monday to March 20.

"My heart aches because this could have happened to me. Who will compensate injured workers if they can no longer work?" Son, who works at a factory that produces home furnishings, said Friday. "There are many Asian migrant workers in Pocheon, especially on farms and in factories. Many of my colleagues are from the Philippines, Bangladesh and Myanmar."

Son, who lives a 20-minute walk from the bombed village, said, "I’ve come to realize that military drills are dangerous. Military officials should be more careful."

According to the Ministry of National Defense, 19 civilians and 12 soldiers were injured in the bombing, as of Sunday. Of the civilians, six were foreign — four Thais, one Nepalese and one Myanmar national. Among them, one Thai and the Myanmar national are receiving treatment at nearby hospitals as their injuries required surgery, along with five Korean civilians and two soldiers, according to the city government and the ministry.

Expanding residential areas into regions once considered remote and suitable for military drills has heightened the risk of accidents.

Rev. Kim Dal-sung, head of the Migrant Workers Center in Pocheon, was shocked that the South Korea-U.S. joint military drills, which involved live bombs dropped by fighter jets, were conducted near villages inhabited by immigrants and local residents.

“In Pocheon, more than 20,000 of the 150,000 population are migrant workers. They usually work in farms and factories. We demand an end to military training in or near areas where foreigners or immigrants live,” Kim said.

“We also demand a thorough investigation, severe punishment of those responsible and the prevention of a recurrence. We hope the injured migrant workers get adequate interpretation services and nondiscriminatory compensation.”

The Royal Thai Embassy in Seoul also expressed shock after the accident. Three of the four Thai nationals injured in the accident sustained minor injuries and were allowed to return home after treatment at a hospital in Pocheon, while one victim, who sustained injuries to her hand and leg, underwent surgery on Friday.

“I could not believe what I heard. I could not believe that this mistake was done,” Thai Ambassador to Korea Tanee Sangrat told The Korea Times, adding that he is receiving updates from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Republic of Korea Air Force.

He planned to visit the Thai victim, who remains hospitalized and wishes to be unnamed, on Monday. “We want to first meet her and see what she needs. We are in the process of contacting her family,” Sangrat said.

Acknowledging that there are many Thai workers in Korea, both documented and undocumented, the ambassador added, “The Thai government and the Thai Embassy will provide protection for nationals regardless of legal status. We will work closely with the Ministry of Justice and police so that their rights are protected.”

Residents of Nogok-ri, the village where the bombs fell, were also shocked by the accident, though they acknowledged that such incidents were "very rare." The blasts occurred just 30 kilometers south of the Military Demarcation Line.

“I was just finishing up my breakfast when I heard a loud explosion. The next thing I knew, my window was completely shattered. I immediately ran out of my house to find out what was going on. The military and the police later came and cleaned up the damage, but I’m not sure when the glass will be replaced,” said Chae Ok-ja, 91, who has lived in the village for more than five decades.

She also shared how the village has transformed over time. “In the past, there were a lot of U.S. soldiers in the village as there were military bases nearby. Now there are a lot of migrant workers who work in vinyl greenhouses.”

The explosion on the streets near Nangyu Bridge in Nogok-ri caused rocks and debris to damage Park Jae-young’s home as well.

“The bomb damaged my windows and walls. I’m currently staying at a temporary shelter, but I don’t know how long I can stay there. Crop season is approaching, so I need to be close to my farm and house. But my house probably needs to be completely rebuilt,” said Park, 77.

When asked about the foreign victims, he said, “I feel bad for them too. Most of the farms rely on migrant workers. They are essential workers here.”