Pyongyang says accidental bombing by South Korea jets shows armed conflict possible

SEOUL - North Korea said on March 12 that a recent

accidental bombing of a civilian area by South Korean fighter jets

in training shows a mishap could trigger a new armed conflict on the Korean peninsula, its state news agency reported.

The two jets mistakenly dropped eight air-to-surface bombs on a village near the military border with North Korea last week, injuring 29 civilians in an accident the South’s military said was likely caused by pilot error.

The area was near a regular training ground used by South Korea and its allies, which is close to the border.

“We don’t need to explain how the situation would have unfolded if the bombs had dropped farther north and crossed our border,” KCNA state news agency said.

“It is not at all an unreasonable imagination... that an accidental spark could engulf the Korean peninsula and the world in a new armed conflict in response to the malicious large joint military drills by the US and South Korea.”

South Korean and US militaries began annual Freedom Shield drills on March 10, which will run until March 20, but they suspended live-fire exercises following the bombing accident.

North Korea routinely denounces joint military drills by the allies, calling them a dress rehearsal for war against it.

South Korea rejects that accusation, saying the drills are defensive and aimed at maintaining readiness against possible North Korean aggression.

The US Defence Department did not immediately have comment.

KCNA said: “This incident is an example of how the various war demonstrations by the US and its followers targeting us are not for ‘peace and stability in South Korea’ as they claim, but extremely dangerous and unamusing acts that can breed an imminent crisis and the world’s first nuclear war.”

It warned about taking “merciless action” without notice if needed because of its enemies’ military activities. REUTERS