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Military halts small-arms drills after playground incident
South Korea's armed forces have paused all shooting exercises involving rifles and handguns following an incident in which a stray bullet is suspected to have struck a young girl at a Daegu playground.
Incident details
On Monday afternoon, an elementary-school student was hit near the neck by an unidentified object believed to be a bullet. She was treated at a hospital and later discharged, local media reported.
The playground lies approximately 1.5 km (0.9 mi) from a military firing range where live-fire drills were underway at the time. Authorities are investigating whether the injury resulted from the exercise.
Range safety measures
The range, established in 1995, is equipped with protective barriers designed to contain bullets, according to the Korea Herald. Despite these precautions, stray rounds have occasionally reached civilian areas.
Previous incidents
In 2020, a golf caddy in South Jeolla province required emergency surgery after a stray bullet from a nearby military range struck her head. Last year, the military also suspended live-fire drills and training flights when fighter jets accidentally dropped bombs on a village in Pocheon, injuring nearly 30 people.
Next steps
Investigators are collecting evidence to determine the source of the projectile. The military has not announced when drills will resume.
