Military Space News
NUKEWARS
North Korea says South's bombing mishap could spark 'new armed conflict'
North Korea says South's bombing mishap could spark 'new armed conflict'
by Thomas Maresca
Washington DC (UPI) Mar 12, 2025

North Korea condemned an ongoing U.S.-South Korea joint military exercise Wednesday, saying another incident like Seoul's recent accidental bombing of its own village near the DMZ could lead to "a new armed conflict."

A pair of South Korean KF-16 fighter jets accidentally dropped eight bombs on a residential area in the city of Pocheon during a live-fire exercise Thursday, injuring 31 people and damaging dozens of buildings.

A commentary by the state-run Korean Central News Agency on Wednesday said that the mishap's proximity to the inter-Korean border raised the ominous possibility of triggering a major conflict.

"What merits ... attention is the fact that the case occurred near the southern border of the DPRK on the eve of the large-scale joint military exercises simulating a total war," the unsigned statement said.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is the official name of North Korea.

"There is no need to explain how the situation would have developed if a bomb had been dropped towards the north a little further to cross the border of the DPRK," KCNA said. "It is not unreasonable to imagine that an accidental spark might plunge the Korean peninsula and the region and the rest of the world into a new armed conflict."

Pocheon is around 16 miles from the DMZ and is near a live-fire training complex regularly used by the allies.

The South Korean and U.S. militaries began their annual springtime Freedom Shield joint exercise on Monday. Seoul's Defense Ministry has suspended all live-fire drills until the exact cause of the bombing accident is determined, however.

While Washington and Seoul say their joint drills are defensive, the KCNA commentary called the exercises "dangerous and undesirable doings germinating a touch-and-go situation, the world's first nuclear war."

On Monday, North Korea fired a salvo of close-range ballistic missiles into the Yellow Sea following a pair of statements criticizing Freedom Shield and warning of retaliatory provocations.

Despite facing a raft of international sanctions, Pyongyang has continued to develop its nuclear and missile programs. On Saturday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited the construction site of the country's first "nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine," according to a KCNA report.

While the report did not provide specific details about the submarine, the North generally uses the term "strategic" to indicate that missiles are nuclear-capable.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday that Washington condemns the North's "unlawful and destabilizing actions."

"The U.S.-Republic of Korea alliance is ironclad, and the Trump administration remains in close contact with our South Korean counterparts as we work together to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific," she said at a press briefing.

Related Links
Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com
Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com
All about missiles at SpaceWar.com
Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
NUKEWARS
North Korea warns U.S. and South Korea will 'pay dearly' for joint military exercise
Washington DC (UPI) Mar 7, 2025
North Korea condemned an upcoming U.S.-South Korea joint military exercise Friday, saying that "counteraction is inevitable" and warning that the allies would "pay dearly." The threat came one day after the United States and South Korea announced that their annual springtime Freedom Shield exercise would run from Monday through March 20, involving computer-simulated drills and on-field training. Freedom Shield will reflect "realistic threats, lessons learned from recent armed conflicts a ... read more

NUKEWARS
Maxar Space Systems Ships First Tranche 1 Tracking Layer Spacecraft to L3Harris

Proliferating Space-Based Missile Tracking to Counter Emerging Threats

Canada willing to join US 'Iron Dome' missile shield: minister

Russia slams Trump plan for 'Star Wars' missile shield

NUKEWARS
Zelensky again urges air truce after 'massive' Russian attack

Denmark hopes to have air defence system in place from 2026

N. Korea says launched cruise missiles in 'counterattack' drills

Air alert across Ukraine, missiles incoming: authorities

NUKEWARS
Israel says struck suspects retrieving drone in Gaza

Lockheed Martin Introduces Versatile Counter-UAS Defense System

Moscow targeted by 'massive' Ukrainian drone attack

UK agrees to supply advanced drones to Ukraine

NUKEWARS
ESA advances HydRON project for next-generation space communications

Airbus awarded Oberon satellites contract by UK MOD

Satellogic and Telespazio Brasil to provide low-latency satellite imagery for the Brazilian Air Force

Mobix Labs Secures Defense Funding to Advance SATCOM SoC Innovation

NUKEWARS
US approves sale of $3 bn in munitions, bulldozers to Israel

Denmark and Norway to 'increase cooperation' on defence

Eight soldiers killed in Colombia road accident

Shipment of 'heavy' US bombs arrives in Israel: defence ministry

NUKEWARS
Greens cast doubt over Germany's defence spending plans

European rearmament should avoid US firms: Airbus

Germany's proposed defence and infrastructure bonanza: how and why?

US Department of Veterans Affairs to cut more than 70,000 jobs

NUKEWARS
French defence minister to host key European counterparts on Ukraine

China, Iran and Russia to hold 'Security Belt' military exercise in Indian Ocean

Poland expands military training to all men; mulls mines treaty exit; Lithuania quits cluster bomb treaty

Russian strikes kill 12 in eastern Ukraine

NUKEWARS
Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.